AN: It's taken nearly six years to reach this point. It was a hell of a journey. I didn't think it'd take me that long to finish the story, but better late than never. It was my first fan fic ever so I wasn't the best at gauging stuff like that. I've grown as a writer since I started it. It's how I met so many close friends and formed a community of fellow writers. It's strange to think that it all started with this, a self insert monster girl story that everyone thought would die within a chapters. Thank you to everyone who's stuck with it to the end. I hope you all enjoyed the ride.
PN: This story reposted from spacebattles by me. Original author is Fission Battery and i have permission to repost this story here.
Chapter 69 - The End of Meatshield
The scattered remains of Ilias's once mighty host continued sporadic fighting across the globe until the reality of the situation truly hit home for them. The defeat of their goddess and capture of Heaven broke their morale, and by the end of the day they'd laid down their arms, despair and hopelessness having sapped them of their resolve.
The war was over by the end of the day. The angelic soldiers and cybernetic auxiliaries left wondering what the future would hold for them as they were taken prisoner. The task of managing them all was spearheaded by Tamamo and King David. The king held true to the promise to treat the angels well, and together they coordinated efforts to house, feed, and guard the prisoners until they could be shorted out.
The process of de-indoctrination and integrating them into the world was a daunting task. It was something far outside the realm of Will's expertise, but he knew they'd succeed in time. They'd have help from Micalea and other fallen angels that'd managed to escape Ilias's regime, those with experience building a new life for themselves. It wasn't something Will could help with, instead he focused on other matters. There were wounds that required tending to.
The air of the Fateburn Crypt possessed a certain stillness to it. There was no noise, save for the quiet breathing of its occupants and the shuffling of limbs along the cool stone floor. The tomb beneath the castle filled with a somber atmosphere that weighed upon them as they stood before an once empty stone sarcophagus. Alipheese Fateburn the Fifteenth was laid to rest, returned to her final resting place for good. Her body had been cremated, for necessity and peace of mind. It was a private affair, with only a few in attendance.
Will stood beside Alice, silently reassuring her with his presence. He felt the urge to say something but he didn't know what, and settled on remaining quiet. The simple gesture of being there was enough. Tamamo and Yao seemed to share his sentiment, the two kitsunes observing the extended moment of silence, the latter's torso still heavily bandaged. He was thankful there was only one funeral that day, and that Yao had survived her severe injuries, albeit with the loss of a kidney and permanent damage to the area. It'd never properly heal but she was alive.
Alice placed a hand on the engraved top of the sarcophagus, fingers tracing the intricate carvings in the stone. "Our dream is finally coming true, monsters and humans are at peace," she softly muttered, her expression stoic. There were no more tears to shed. "You can rest easy now mother."
Tamamo stepped forward. "I said my goodbyes years ago, but I'll say it again. You'll be missed, my friend," she solemnly remarked, voice tinged with a melancholy tone, and she dipped her head at the sarcophagus. "May you find peace."
"She's got nothing to worry about," Yao said, resting a paw on Tamamo's shoulder and subtly leaning on the shorter kitsune. "The world's in capable hands. We won't let this opportunity slip us by."
"No, we won't," Alice firmly replied, retracting her hand. She turned to Will and gave him a faint smile. "Thank you, for… everything."
"You're welcome," Will sheepishly replied, embracing her in a hug. They held each other for several moments until he spoke up. "I love you," he whispered into her ear.
"I love you too," Alice softly replied, resting her head against the crook of his neck and wrapping the end of her tail around his own, their scales and fur intertwining. The embrace lasted in silence as if they were the only two people in the world, ignoring the two other people in the room.
Eventually they separated, and Will opened saw Yao looking at them with an affectionate smirk. "And I guess I'm fond of you too, Yao," he said in a teasing tone, smiling at the kitsune. He was relieved she had survived, terrified that her injuries might have been fatal. "Just don't expect me to start calling you sister or anything like that."
"I shouldn't expect anything less from my traitorous former student," Yao replied with a light titter in her voice. "That won't stop me though, I'd be glad to call you my brother, even if you weren't marrying Alice."
The comment caught Will off-guard, briefly stunning him, though he supposed it shouldn't have. The kitsune was a close friend, and confidant to an extent, the two having shared their concerns for Alice's well being many times before. He was never the best at gauging how close he truly was to a person until they said something first.
He reached out and pulled Yao close, wrapping an arm around the kitsune and giving her a firm squeeze. He took care to avoid touching her bandages for fear of irritating or re-opening the wounds. "I'm glad you're okay." He realized that he loved her like she was family, because ultimately she was.
"I am too," Alice remarked, resting a gloved hand on Yao's shoulder, giving her sister a faint smile. "We all made it to the end."
For once Yao didn't have a quippy comeback at the ready, instead accepting the concern given to her. "That we did," she agreed before wincing, raising a paw to clutch her side. "That's enough activity for me though. I need to go back to resting."
"I'll help you out," Will offered, moving to her other side in case she needed it.
"I'm not an invalid, not completely," she replied but didn't protest further. "What about you two? Are you staying longer?" she asked Alice and Tamamo.
Alice shot one last look at her mother's sarcophagus, gaze lingering on it for several seconds before turning back to Yao. "I think I'm ready to go." She slithered up alongside Will, letting him handle Yao.
The elder of the kitsunes wore a contemplative expression, her gaze shifting to the rows of other tombs along the wall, each one holding the remains of other Fateburns. "I wish to linger here a bit longer. I'll catch up."
The trio made their way out of the crypt, leaving Tamamo alone amongst the dead. Her wooden sandals clacked across the stone as she made her way over to a particular spot. It was a stone coffin, simple and utilitarian with no markings on its surface, unlike all the others. The plaque beneath it read "Alipheese Fateburn the Eighth" and Tamamo leaned over to brush the dust off it.
"I'm sorry that I failed you all those years ago," Tamamo quietly said, bowing her head to the empty grave. "I wish that I knew then what I do now. Perhaps then I could have turned you away from the path you choose in life."
Five hundred years ago, the kitsune was a very different person. It was a time before she developed her maternal instincts, when she was far rougher around the edges, brasher, harsher, and less humbled by time. 'Black' Alice was her own person but Tamamo couldn't help but feel responsible for trying to not reign in the woman's worst tendencies, instead viewing her more tyrannical traits as vital to ruling and doing nothing to stop her descent into tyranny. There was no telling how things could have changed, if they could have changed at all, and that failure to act would forever haunt Tamamo.
Tamamo reached into her kimono and withdrew a soot-covered blue ribbon. The one that Black Alice always wore in her hair. It had been knocked loose at some point during the fight, before the end. She'd found it outside the blast radius, likely carried away by the winds. Tamamo lifted the lid of the sarcophagus and gently placed the ribbon inside before reclosing it.
It was the only thing left of the woman, the rest of her body vaporized by her own attack. It was fitting that it be placed inside her tomb. Tamamo wasn't sure if she felt any true sense of love for Black Alice, not anymore, but she was struck by a certain pang of pity for the blonde. She was still a Fateburn, descendent of Tamamo's friend and own mother, The First. There was a connection there that Tamamo felt she had to honour. No one else would mourn the blonde's passing.
"Goodbye Alice," Tamamo softly said, standing up straighter. She briefly wondered how the fight could have turned out, but knew that even if Black Alice had been captured and sealed, she'd stop at nothing to seize the throne. "I hope that in death you've finally found peace."
She lingered for a second longer before turning to catch up with the others, leaving only the silence of the dead behind her.
In Heaven, under house arrest in her quarters, Eden, third daughter of Ilias, wept. The former seraph was inconsolable, devastated by the loss of her goddess, her light green tunic stained by her tears. It was not only Ilias's death that caused her grief, but a burning question: "Why had she gone into battle alone? Why didn't she call upon me?"
Eden was poised to strike out at the world that had defied Ilias, and was preparing to lead the counter-attack against the Monster Lord, when things happened so quickly. The angel didn't leave her position, and only realized how much danger Ilias was in too late, forced to watch her goddess die from a distance, unable to stop it.
Eden held her face in her hands as she cried, her six wings hanging limply from her back and two from her head tangled up in her matted dirty blonde hair. The part that stung the most though was that she saw and heard what Ilias did in her final moments. She reached out to show compassion for Luka, the son of Lucifina, not Eden, her most loyal and faithful follower.
It broke her. She'd watched her sisters betray their goddess- their mother, and yet Ilias still loved them to their dying moments. Not a word was said about Eden, the only daughter that stuck by Ilias's side until the very end.
'I dedicated my life to you. I loved you. I worshipped you. You were the world to me,' Eden mentally cried to herself, hiccuping and coughing too hard to form words. 'And you hated me! I was never good enough! You always compared me to them!'
A knock on the door caught her attention, and she sensed an angel on the other side. That surprised her as none had come to her for guidance or leadership, viewing her as merely another angel. She took a shaky breath before responding. "W-who is it?"
There was a pause before the person responded. "It's… your sister, Micaela," she answered, nervousness breaking through her mature reserved tone. "May I come in?"
Eden glared at the door, and felt the sudden urge to blast it and the person behind it apart, but resisted, knowing that doing so would only bring her jailers down upon her head. "No but I can't stop you from doing as please, so go ahead."
The latch turned with a click and opened to reveal her Micaela. She was the spitting image of their mother, a slim curvy figure covered by a green dress that came to her thighs. Her bright blonde hair flowing down to her knees and piercing blue eyes immediately settled on Eden, gaze softening once she saw the state of her younger sister. They'd last seen each other nearly thirty years ago, when Micaela fled Heaven and went into hiding. Before they used to share a bond, a sense of pride, in being the loyal daughters to remained by Ilias's side when Lucifina left.
"Eden, it's… been a while," Micaela started off, casting her eyes to the side and crossing her arms. "I know we didn't part on the best of terms but… I'm relieved to see you're alive."
"Why? So you can mock me?" Eden spat with a sneer, hands balling up into fists and raising her head to glare at her older sister. "That's why you're here isn't it?" Eden felt that she had to hear the words of confirmation that would valid what she knew. That she was the worthless third child, the one loathed by her mother and sisters.
"No, no that's not it at all," Micaela responded with a frown, sounding hurt by the idea. She stepped further into the room and knelt down in front of her sister, forcing herself to look into Eden's face. "I came here because I… I was worried for you. When I felt mother's death I feared that you'd do something rash."
"She did not order me to die, so I have not," Eden bitterly responded, a part of her regretting not rushing to Ilias's aid against the Monster Lord. "I should have been there, by her side."
"You'd have died," Micaela countered matter-of-factly, unfolding her arms and resting them on her lap.
"Then I'd have died by her side!" Eden exclaimed, raising her voice and wings momentarily flaring out before sinking back down. "That was my lot in life, to serve her for eternity. Living in her absence is meant to be a sin. I wrong her every second I breath-"
"No you don't!" Micaela interrupted Eden, reaching out and grasping her sister by the shoulders. "You are your own person Eden, you have your own self worth and nobody can take that away from you, not even her, especially not her. I know it will be hard," her chin started to tremble as moisture built around her eyes, "I struggled for so long figuring out who I was without her. Mother ruled and defined our lives for so long in so many ways, but not anymore."
Eden stared at her older sister in muted surprise that there was anyone in the world that actually cared about her. It took her several long seconds before she finally responded. "For so long I sought to earn her approval. I truly believed that if I dedicated my life to her, more than you or Lucifina ever did, that I'd finally be worthy of her love. I… I was searching for something that never existed. I was the replacement that she never loved," the seraph quietly admitted, screwing her eyes shut to stem the tears.
She felt Micaela's arms wrap around her shoulders and gently pull her closer into a hug. "You're not alone in this world, Eden," Micaela said with a hitch in her voice. "You'll always have me looking out for you. I couldn't before, but I can now."
Tears streamed down Eden's face. She tentatively raised her arms and held onto her older sister, leaning into the embrace. "I miss Lucifina," Eden muttered into her sister's hair. "When she passed I was so angry and heartbroken, but… angry at her for dying."
"I miss her too," Micaela quietly replied, pausing to take a shuddering breath. "We still have each other, and there's her son Luka. We can finally meet him properly without any fear."
Eden had heard much about him from Ilias, much of which was very mixed and made her hesitate at the prospect. "Maybe," she replied with a sniffle. "It won't be for a while though."
"I'll try to convince him to visit," Micaela firmly stated, letting go and looking into her sister's eyes. "I promise you. We could be a family, a functioning one."
Eden wiped the tears and mucus from her face with the back of her hand. The notion was so surreal yet it was something she wanted more than anything, simply to be loved and accepted. "That'd be… nice."
Micaela smiled at her sister and grasped her hand. "Yes, it would be." She slowly stood up and helped her sister to her feet, walking her over to the long lounge couch and sitting down beside her younger sister.
They had lived their lives in the shadow of Ilias, their goddess and mother, and for the first time they were free. The steps towards reconciliation were taken, and Eden somehow knew they'd make it.
In the throne room of the Monster Lord's Castle, Will stoically stood beside Alice, and watched as Alma entered. The succubus queen had been summoned to meet with Alice and responded within a relatively timely matter, much to both of their surprise. She had fared well after the fight, having recovered from her exhaustion without much issue.
"My Lord, I came as quickly as I could," Alma began with a cocky smirk, bowing her with a flourish of the hand. She was in high spirits, enjoying the praise thrown her way for evacuating the injured when Black Alice attacked. "How could I be of service to you?"
Alice's expression was inscrutable, betraying no emotion as she stared down at the succubus from atop her throne. The wind that flowed through the room became oppressive, weighing down on the other occupants like a physical force. "Alma, you've violated the only law that I set down, and did so repeatedly. You've assaulted, consumed, and killed dozens of innocents, and caused the death of hundreds more with your blockade of Iliasport."
The succubus queen's smile fell, cockiness disappearing and replaced by an inscrutable look. She wasn't daft, immediately understanding the intent behind the words and dropping the flighty act. "I only ever acted in your name to defend monsters and I never attacked first. I've faithfully followed your rule-"
"You intentionally misunderstand both the spirit and letter of my law," Alice reprimanded her subordinate, eyes subtly narrowing. " I won't stand for my knight playing semantics when you very well understood the intent behind my law."
"Have I not always been loyal to you though?" Alma confidently countered without hesitation, remaining level headed and meeting Alice's stare without flinching. "I've answered every call to action and dutifully carried out your orders when given. Besides, I only ever killed heroes and followers of Ilias, enemies of monsters everywhere."
"We were at war with Ilias, not her followers, and I never gave you orders to besiege an entire coastline. They posed no threat to you, or any monsters," Alice rebuked her subordinate's excuses, a steely edge to her voice. "I've seen how you conduct yourself. Forcing humans into panicking and lashing out against you in desperation is not acting in self-defense."
Alma took a second to respond, eyes narrowing and corners of her lips turning downwards. Her muscles beneath her skin began to tense, like a spring ready to launch into action. "I stood alongside you against Ilias. I saved us all from her lightning. Erubetie has committed similar offenses," she dismissively gestured to the near empty room, "yet I don't see her here, and she did a fraction of what I did."
"Erubetie has already been harshly reprimanded for her egregious defiance of my orders. She has not escaped judgement, and neither will you," Alice immediately responded, raising her hand to stall any interruptions. "However, I have taken your loyalty and service into consideration. You did stand beside me, and for that I will grant leniency."
The succubus shoulders subtly sagged, a quiet exhale of breath escaping her mouth. "I knew that you would see reason, my Lord," Alma remarked with a smug smile. "If that's all, then I'll leave you and your husband alone. I'm sure you wish to enjoy that honeymoon period a bit longer-"
"You misunderstand me once more," Alice interjected, openly frowning and glaring at her subordinate. "Leniency doesn't mean a pardon for your past crimes. You will be stripped of your title for negligence in your duties as ruler. You will submit yourself to be permanently sealed, stripping you of your power forever. And lastly you will be placed under house arrest in Succubus Village."
"That's an outrage! That's tyranny!" Alma exclaimed in indignation, taking a step forward and jabbing her finger at Alice. The wind gathered around her, filling her limbs with power and kicking up dust from the floor. "Take the title but I refuse to be sealed! You have no grounds to pass that judgement!"
Will himself tensed up, knuckles turning white as he balled his fists in anticipation of a fight.
"I am the Monster Lord!" Alice declared with a booming voice, rising from her throne on her tail and eyes glowing pure white. "I have the right to execute you for your crimes. The only reason you are not joining Kumo no Miko today is because I am honouring your service, in spite of the counseling of my husband." She motioned to Will. "He'd prefer to see you dead on the spot."
Alma shot a brief critical glare at Will. The choices presented to the succubus were clear; forced retirement or death. She stood good odds at overwhelming Will, but no chance against Alice herself, and that if she ran she'd be tracked down eventually.
"I have no choice in the matter do I?" Alma bitterly asked, slowly lowering her arms and releasing the wind, letting it flow freely away from her one last time.
"No you do not," Alice firmly replied, eyes returning to normal. "It is a merciful punishment, all things considered. It'll be good for you to live amongst your former subjects, and perhaps in time the decision may be revisited." It was a bone thrown the succubus's way, a rather generous one at that, and presented alongside the alternative to make it all the more appealing.
Alma silently glared at Alice in indignation, and reluctantly bowed her head. She refused to outright kneel or grovel, maintaining some level of dignity in the face of her sentence. Tamamo entered the room and escorted the former queen out of the room. The process of sealing her would be long and difficult, making it unsuited for use in combat but valuable for dealing with particularly dangerous individuals without outright killing them. Alma would still remain a succubus but by the end of the ritual she'd be left as weak as a regular human of similar size and physique. She'd lose her connection to the wind and be unable to drain others of their life force.
There was the added benefit that she'd be an outcast in Succubus Village. She'd receive no special treatment from her former subjects, who held no love for their neglectful queen, and just be another inhabitant. Alma hadn't even complained about Alice and Tamamo taking over the town. She held onto the title simply because it was hers, and nobody could have taken it from her.
The succubus leaving Will's sight helped improve his mood, his muscles untensing as he relaxed and let out a sigh. He may have disagreed with Alice's decision, but he was proud of her for making it and forcing Alma to accept. She was growing into the role of Monster Lord, taking on more responsibilities and acting the part of ruler.
"That went better than expected," Alice remarked, turning her head to face him and humming in thought as she quirked an eyebrow. "That's a curious expression. I thought you'd be more upset with her sentence."
"I dislike it, but I'm just… taking in the sight of you," Will admitted, looking her over and admiring the certain glow she possessed. Alice carried herself with more confidence than ever before, head held higher, and spoke with authority on official matters, yet tempered it with diplomacy and counsel from advisors. "You look so… regal."
Alice coyly smiled as she brushed a lock of hair aside, tucking it behind her elfin ear. "Oh? Do I?"
"You do. It suits you," Will replied with a smile of his own, leaning down and kissing her cheek. "My Lord," he added in a light hearted, teasing tone.
"It's odd to hear you say that, but I could get used to it," Alice playfully remarked, entertaining the idea and relaxing in her throne as best she could.
"Don't get too used to it," Will chuckled as he stood back up and shook his head. "Now come on, you can't lounge in here all day. There's more business to attend to."
Alice let out a noise as she stretched her arms above her head and slouched further in her throne. "There's no rush. I expected that to take longer, so we have time to spare." She glanced around the room and a mischievous smirk found its way onto her face. "And I've got an idea." Her tail snaked its way up around his leg and tugged at his pant's waist.
'And despite everything she's still herself,' Will thought in amusement, needing no further prompting as his own furred tail intertwined with hers.
Luka let out a sigh of annoyance as he held his arms out straight, letting the royal tailor take his measurements. The tailor had nothing he could adjust to fit the short hero, so it had to be custom made. Sara had insisted he expand his wardrobe and he couldn't argue against it, especially when it was paid for by her father. An early wedding gift his future father-in-law said, one of many Luka was sure.
The King was thrilled that his daughter wasn't going to join Granberia and become a wandering swordswoman. Luka thought that fear was preposterous and unfounded. The blonde princess was very concerned about her people and taking the throne in the future. He knew she'd never abandon her people to live a frivolous life.
The tailor paused to write some notes down onto their pad of paper, glancing between Luka and the sample pieces he'd assembled. He let out a hum and placed his pencil behind his ear. "I've got ideas on how to compliment that wonderful lavender hair of yours, Master Luka," the tailor proudly declared. "You'll be the talk of the entire kingdom once I'm done!"
Luka awkwardly smiled and nodded at the compliment, finding the situation off-putting in a way. He had his own clothing. It was fine. There was nothing wrong with it, but he knew it'd be rude to flatly refuse the gift. Besides, Sara had been excited about the prospect of seeing him in formal wear, amongst other things, and he couldn't say no to her. She had ways of breaking down his resistance and convincing him to go along with her ideas.
'I guess her charms work on Granberia too,' Luka mused as he shot a glance at the dragon swordswoman, her arms crossed and a small frown on her face as she shifted about on a plush lounging chair just a touch too big for her short stature. The red headed knight was wearing a simple white tunic in lieu of her armour. It went down to her thighs and was held in place by a belt around her waist.
"It's weird seeing you look so… normal," Luka tentatively remarked, unsure how to interact with the knight. He held a great deal of respect for her but hadn't really spoken with her one on one. Sara usually played intermediary between the two of them, and she was busy with other matters.
Granberia quirked an eyebrow. "You didn't think I spent all day in armour, did you?' she asked incredulously, equal parts offended and amused by the notion. "I have a life outside combat and training."
"Could have fooled me," Luka mumbled, shifting his gaze to the piles of fabrics and watching the tailor sorting through it. "It's all you seem to talk about."
"I've dedicated my life to honing my abilities with the blade, of course I'd talk about it. It's important to me," Granberia remarked as she placed a hand on her chest. "It's not an easy path to walk. That's why I admire those that put in similar efforts… yourself included," she sheepishly added after a slight pause.
The tailor stood up from their sample cloth and paused before speaking up. He quickly glanced between the two and wordlessly excused themselves from the room to give them some privacy.
Luka's eyes drifted down to his maimed left hand. He was missing all his fingers on it, save for his thumb, which Black Alice missed by a hair's breadth. There was nothing that could be done to heal it, and he was still adapting to being effectively one handed. There was the possibility of a prosthetic to replace the missing fingers, something Sara and Will both promised to look into.
"I think those days are behind me now," Luka quietly admitted, before exhaling and shaking his head. His abilities were diminished, used to wielding his sword with both hands, but that part didn't bother him too much. It wasn't necessary anymore. "Even if I can get a prosthetic, I don't have that drive any more."
Granberia let out a hum as her gaze softened. "I can see that. The way you carry yourself. It's different than before." She pressed a scaled hand to her chin before gesturing to him. "You're more… relaxed, like a weight has been lifted from your shoulders. It's subtle but it's there."
"Huh… I guess I have," Luka agreed after a moment. For the longest time he always thought he'd die trying to be a hero, whatever that meant to him at the time, until Will helped him to see that wasn't the case. "We achieved peace. I want to help keep it but besides that… I don't know what I'm going to do with myself." A blush came to his face. "Well, I know I want Sara in it."
At the mention of the blonde princess, a blush graced Granberia's cheeks too. "That's a sentiment I… find myself agreeing with. She was quite… forward with her interests," she hesitantly added, her blush deepening and shifting about in her chair, leaning against the armrest. "And her skills with the blade are very impressive. It's very enjoyable watching her practice and sparring with her."
It amused Luka to no end that the otherwise headstrong and confident knight turned into a shy mess the moment Sara flirted with her. He avoided teasing Granberia about it out of a sense of self preservation. "It's still weird that we're uh, both in a relationship with her."
"It is, yes," Granberia immediately agreed, shoulders sagging somewhat as she let out a sigh. "It's relieving to know that I'm not the only one that thinks so."
"Yeah, it's not something I ever saw myself doing," Luka admitted with an awkward chuckle, reaching back and rubbing the back of his head. His gaze briefly wandered over Granberia, eyes roaming over her body. He certainly found the dragoness attractive, but was still getting used to the idea and was only willing to give it a try for Sara's sake. "I don't know how to feel about sharing. It's strange to even talk about it."
"I don't have an issue with it on principle," Granberia began, leaning on the armrest and resting her chin on her hand. "I never considered what I'd want in a relationship. I only knew that I wished to face those who could match me in combat and that I'd find someone worthwhile in the process. Salamander always said I had no sense of romance."
From what the fire spirit had told Luka about Granberia, he had to agree. The Spirits had parted ways with him to aid the world after the war in their own way. He was getting used to the silence in his own head, missing their running commentary."That isn't surprising," he replied with a faint smirk. "I think I'm more open to the idea since it's you. You're an honourable person, and, well it's good knowing that we share some hesitations about this."
Granberia glanced to the side, face burning red. "I'm… fine with being with Sara and you. You're a good man, and held your own during the war. I respect that." She got up from the chair and extended a scaled hand to him, standing taller than him by only four inches. "We should endeavour to speak frankly with each other. I'm not the best at navigating romantic matters but I know when to speak my mind and I've been told communication is as important in a relationship as it is in a fight."
"I can do that," Luka nodded with a smile, firmly grasping her right hand with his own.
A cough caught their attention, the tailor standing in the doorway with more cloth draped over his arm. "I hate to interrupt but which do you prefer Master Luka, satin or lace?" He held up two sample pieces of lingerie, both ridiculously skimpy. "The Princess specifically requested either or, and I refuse to disappoint her."
Luka stared in muted horror.
Granberia clapped his shoulder in sympathy. "Remember bravery in the face of adversity, Luka."
With a grunt, Will shoved the massive boulder aside, revealing a spacious cave that was previously hidden behind it. The stench of dried blood hit his nose and heard faint rhythmic heart beats. His eyes immediately adjusted to the darkness and he saw that every inch of the interior was covered in formulas carved into the stone face, complex math equations that spanned the walls.
On the far wall of the cave was Promestein, stripped naked and chained to the wall. Her body was covered in scars from poorly healed injuries, red hair matted and crusted by mud and dried blood. She weakly raised her head and regarded him with her usual impassive stare.
"You're a tough woman to find," Will remarked, stepping into the cave.
"You managed," Promestein dryly replied.
"It seems Ilias finally had enough of your scheming. She hid you away pretty well." He walked over to the formerly missing angel scientist and carefully broke the chains off her wrist, prying them apart without causing any injury. He pulled his flask of water from his pocket and handed it to her. "To drink."
Promestein regarded it with curiosity before accepting it and taking a drink. She downed it all in one go, water spilling from the edge of her mouth, and let out an involuntary sigh. "The generosity is unexpected. I don't expect it to last," she matter-of-factly said, slouching against the cave wall and resting her arms on her legs.
"I'm not a cruel person, but you're not wrong," Will admitted, pausing to pull off his shirt and pass it to her. She stared at the offered clothing in amusement before taking it and putting it on, covering her modesty. "You saved my life before and I am grateful for that, but I know what you did, Promestein. The abductions, the experiments, the mutilations, all of it," he spoke harshly, eyes narrowing. "There's no escaping from it."
He refused to forget the atrocities that she'd committed. He'd been spared suffering them by dint of Ilias's curioisty in him, not out of a sense of mercy from Promestein. She'd killed so many, all in the pursuit of knowledge and to produce weapons of war for Ilias.
"Escape from it?" Promestein echoed his words, tilting her head before sardonically chuckling. "No, I have no intention of escaping. It's far too late for that. The other me however, she's long gone."
"The other you?' Will replied before the words hit him. "You made a clone, didn't you? Or are you the clone?"
The smirk on the red head's face grew as she sat up straight. "Oh I am the original, I assure you. I made her as a backup in the event of my death. She would continue my work. The only person I could entrust to act as my successor," she said with a hint of pride in her worn out voice.
"What? You give up on humanity? I recall you saying they were your successors," Will derisively remarked, spreading his arms out. "Guess your sense of ego won out. Where's the clone then? We've already cleared out your labs. You hide her in a broom closet?"
"'They were,'" Promestein repeated the words and hummed. "Interesting phrasing, it suggests you don't see yourself as human anymore. No longer part of the collective whole."
"You're avoiding the question," Will pointedly replied.
"I suppose I am. It's very rude of me, considering how much information you've given me," Promestein remarked, smugly smiled up at him, unperturbed by his inquiries. "You'll never find her because she's not here. I've sent her to your world. I managed to recreate the portal and stabilize it long enough to send her through before collapsing it. She's my message in a bottle."
The news shook Will, causing him to go silent. He hadn't thought about Earth in so long. It was a distant thing of the past, out of sight and out of mind, something he'd never be able to see again. There was a part of him that wasn't surprised by Promestein's claim. If anyone could have done it, he figured it'd have been here. He shuddered to think what horrors she could unleash upon the world if given the chance.
"What's the message supposed to be then? Nothing good considering you're the angel of fucking death," he rhetorically remarked with a sneer.
"Don't compare me to that sadistic butcher," Promestein snapped, annoyance flashing across her face as she jabbed a finger at him. "Everything I have done was to further my understanding of the world. Every experiment had a purpose that built upon the last."
Will opened his mouth to respond before pausing as her words hit him. "How do you know who I was referencing?" he asked, deathly quiet and serious.
"I knew of him before you told me," Promestein confidently replied, leaning forward to slowly push herself off the ground and resting against the wall to stay upright. "Not directly of course, but I know it all the same." Her smirk only grew. "You're wondering how that's possible? It's only natural."
The red-headed scientist stood on trembling legs as she straightened up, puffing her chest out in pride and brushing wayward strands of her from her face. The large shirt covered her like a dress. "It may have been my greatest breakthrough. You had no soul, a creature of pure matter, until this happened." She placed a cold clammy hand against the large stone-like heart crest on his chest, subtly leaning against him for support. "The soul is an ethereal layer of consciousness tied to the physical form that birthed it and the only part of a person that can survive past brain death. When you became a monster, something miraculous happened, and I use that word very sparingly. The life force that transformed you flooded every cell in your body and coalesced into a proto-soul that your mind imprinted upon," she calmly explained the process, a hint of excitement bleeding into her voice.
"In terms you may understand, it's like it performed a CT scan of your brain, mapping out every neuron before copying it onto itself." Promestein raised her hand to his forehead, touching him between the eyes.
Will brushed her hand aside, mind racing at the explanation, until something clicked for him. He suddenly remembered an event from the game, nothing more than a single boss fight, that they nonetheless never encountered. Promestein had made a doppelganger of Luka, a perfect copy from only a few drops of blood and skin samples, and in the process copied all of his memories too. "And you could translate that map into readable information," he quietly remarked, impressed by her abilities in spite of himself.
"The human brain doesn't store information like a computer does. It took some time, but I managed," Promestein explained as she leaned back against the wall for support and smirked at him. "You can imagine how surprised I was to see what was in there."
"You knew I knew about everything," Will muttered in response. The depth of information she had at her fingertips terrified him. If she knew about his metaknowledge and their plots against Ilias, she could have stopped it all. Their own schemes would have become undone like they undid Ilias's. "Yet you ended up back in your cave."
"Ilias made her move against me sooner than I expected," the scientist admitted with a slight frown and half-hearted shrug. "I had planned on leaving this world, but was forced to send the clone in my place. A failsafe to ensure that no matter what some version of me would reach your Earth."
"And what do you hope she'll do once she's there?" Will tersely asked with a hint of genuine curiosity bleeding into his voice. "Turn the world into a seven and a half billion person petri dish?" He knew her beliefs but actions spoke at odds with them. She spoke highly of human ingenuity but showed no remorse over the hundreds of thousands she murdered.
"To learn, to study, to experiment. The same as I've always done," Promestein immediately answered, pausing before her eyes lit up as a thought struck her. "Tell me William, why does the candle burn?"
Will stared at her, brow furrowed. "It burns by the grace of Ilias," he answered after a moment. He knew the question and answer well. It was the question she asked her instructor. It left her unsatisfied and drove her to study the world herself.
"I was a different woman back then. The world used to hold a sense of wonder for me, before I spent centuries in this cave," Promestein wistfully reminisced, a sad smile on her face as she gestured around her. "I learned for its own sake, knowledge being my only reward, until I saw the suffering in the world. I realized that I had a duty to use what I learned to aid others. I gave fire back to humanity because they needed it and I had the ability to help them."
"You've gotten quite introspective," Will commented, critically eyeing up the angel. "I don't think I ever expected you too. I got the impression that not even you knew what you wanted in the end."
"Perhaps I have. Your memories reawoke that. You were a mystery that required solving and the answer was Earth. It felt like I had a definitive goal," Promestein said, turning her gaze to the entrance of the cave. "It may be for the best that I didn't escape. I've fallen into too many self-destructive routines and patterns. The sight of Earth would be marred by my eyes."
"What does that mean exactly?"
"The clone I sent wasn't simply a copy of me as I am now." The redhead placed a hand on her chest, ruffling the shirt somewhat. "I modeled her mind after myself when I was younger, optimistic about the world, before my imprisonment. She has all of my memories and knowledge but none of the emotions attached to it." The smirk on her face grew larger. "She's a tabula rasa."
"And why are you telling me all of this?" Will asked as he tilted his head and turned his palms upwards. The open honesty was unexpected from the somewhat cryptic angel. "You could have taken that knowledge to your grave and we'd be none the wiser."
"Because through you, my ideas are transmitted. You aren't my successor but a kindred spirit," Promestein self-assuredly answered, raising a hand and motioning to him while smugly smiling. "You'll kill me, but I know that you'll pilfer my laboratories and recruit my followers for your own purposes, and spread what you find around the world. You'll carry my legacy forward past my death, even while denouncing me. I'll always be your guardian angel."
Will's eyes narrowed as he stared back at her. The world would know her crimes, he'd make sure of it, but it's true he'd hope to use her technology for peaceful purposes. It could do so much good in the world, and yet it was used for industrial murder. Promestein hated Ilias but also enabled her schemes for global genocide and aided in her every step of the way. There was only one sentence he could pass on her and it was death.
"I suppose you're right about that," he finally replied after a pregnant pause. "I will admit, I felt a certain pity for you, on how your life went. That doesn't excuse your crimes though. You still made your own life choices and are responsible for the deaths you've caused. Perhaps your clone will turn out better than you did."
"She will," Promestein firmly said with a nod. She turned her gaze to the entrance of the cave, sunlight shining in from its opening and cool refreshing air gently blowing in. "I don't believe in destiny, it's a nonsensical thing, but our paths crossing was an astronomical happenstance. It was a rare opportunity that I did not waste."
"Neither did I," Will remarked, following her gaze. "What happened to White Rabbit anyway?"
"I destroyed it all. I couldn't risk anyone being able to follow me to Earth," she readily answered, continuing to stare out of the cave. "It had the added benefit of one last slight to both Ilias and Black Alice."
"Huh, that solves that then…" He looked back at her. "So, is that all?"
Promestein turned her gaze back to him, smirk fading. She wore an expression of stoic resignation, shoulders sagging with exhaustion. "No, but if I had all the time in the world it still wouldn't be enough. If you want poignant last words you'll find none. I've said my piece."
"Then this is goodbye, Promestein," Will tersely remarked.
The loud snap of bone filled the room and her corpse was lowered to the ground, neck broken and spinal cord completely severed. The greatest mind in the world was no more. He set the body aflame, watching as it burned away and turned to ash to make sure she was dead. It eventually dematerialized, the matter consumed by fire and holy energy escaping back into the world.
There was nothing left but a scorch mark on the ground. It was only then that Will left the cave, nudging the breeze to carry the ashes out and spread them to the surrounding mountainside. It was a kinder gesture than she deserved but he felt the desire to do it. There was no point desecrating the dead and it felt too cruel to leave the remains trapped in her former prison.
Will lingered there for a few moments longer before taking to the air with a burst of fire, and left the empty cave behind him.
Promestein stared up at the towering skyscrapers with awe and wonder, marveling at the titanic structures of steel and glass. All around her, cars drove back and forth down the crowded streets of downtown, polluting the air with their exhaust and incessant honking. People moved around her, speaking on phones or with friends, all weaving around the red-headed woman without breaking a stride. She was just another face in a crowd of millions, a bookish young woman in a college sweater.
The sheer scale of everything left her stunned. The angel soaked in all the details she could, content to observe the world around her for a while longer. Held in her hands was an inconspicuous silver briefcase and contained within it was everything she'd need to change the world. A laptop contained everything her original self had ever discovered and invented.
A homeless man passed her by, calling out for money and shaking her from her thoughts. He was one of hundreds she'd seen, left to live on the sidewalks and alleys of the city with little support. The sight of the destitute sparked a pang of… sympathy in Promestein. She could do nothing for him though. She'd planned on surviving on digital currency and had no banknotes on her. He spared her nothing more than a momentary glance before moving on, wandering down the sidewalk in the hopes of finding salvation.
Promestein watched him go and promised herself she would give more than fire to humanity. The world was a broken, inefficient, and cruel place, but it didn't have to be that way. She would change it for the better.
That was the promise she made to herself.
Alice and Will sat across from Sylvia in a dining room at the Sutherland Inn in Iliasburg. Will was anxiously shifting about his seat, trying to stay focused and not think back to his last encounter with the older dragoness. He and Alice weren't together at the time, so he'd done nothing wrong and neither woman was upset with him, which he was quite thankful for.
Sylvia smiled radiantly at the couple, wrinkles around her eyes accentuated by the movement. She was thrilled to see the two of them together and visit with them both. Her greying purple hair tied back in a long flowing ponytail that came to the small of her back, complemented by the light blue sundress she wore in spite of the slight chill in the autumn air outside.
"I had a feeling you two would end up together. I'm very happy for you both, " Sylvia remarked, pausing to take a sip of tea and putting her empty cup down. "It's wonderful catching up, but I'm sure you have other business to attend to and I'd hate to hold up the Monster Lord… and her husband," she added after a moment, giving Will an impish smirk.
"It's Prince Consort, thank you very much," Will replied in a faux-offense, taking the remark in good stride and shaking his finger at her, before smiling. "I worked very hard to earn that title."
"The only work you did was sleeping your way to the top," Alice countered with a smile of her own, shooting Will a sidelong glance. "I was obligated to give you a title, since you were going to be involved with court. I didn't want you feeling inadequate when everyone simply referred to you by your name."
"It's more applicable than Prince of Sabasa," Will said as he turned his palms upwards and shrugged. He was still amused that the King had given him that title. It was practically meaningless but the gesture was appreciated. "And there is some business to attend to but it involves you." He gestured to the dragoness.
Sylvia quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? I'm not sure what it could be."
Alice sat up straighter and rested her arms on the table. "We're planning on rebuilding Remina. It's going to be quite the undertaking and require years of work to complete. So Will suggested that we extend an invitation to you for input on it, and I agreed that it was the right thing to do," she explained in a business-like manner, before reaching across the table and grasping Sylvia's black scaled hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We want to restore as much of the original town as possible while renovating it."
"And if you could move in too, of course," Will added for clarity's sake.
Sylvia was stunned by the proposal, quietly processing their words. She placed her other hand on top of Alice's. "Thank you but… I can't. There's too many memories there. It wouldn't be the same to me." She glanced out the window, peering out onto the hillside city that stretched out for miles around. "Besides, the girls have started to build their lives here."
"I understand," Alice replied with a nodd, squeezing Sylvia's hand one last time before retracting her own.
"I figured that'd be your answer but it'd have felt wrong not to extend the offer," Will remarked in understanding.
"It's a very kind thought," Sylvia assured them with a wistful smile, glancing down at her empty cup. "Maybe one day I'll revisit it but… I don't know if that day will ever come." She let out a sigh and reached over to grab the tea pot to refill her cup. "So, have you heard the city's going to change its name?" Sylvia asked, perking up somewhat after a sip of tea, and changing the subject. "There's quite a few suggestions being thrown around to replace it."
"I can imagine," Will remarked, grabbing a pastry and taking a bite out of it. "Most places named after Ilias are probably doing the same."
Alice raised a hand to her chin and hummed in thought. "Do you think I could persuade them to name the town after myself? Fateburnburg or Alipheeseville have a certain ring to them."
"Yes, a terrible one," Will replied with a chuckle.
"It might send the wrong message for the Monster Lord to be renaming towns after herself," Sylvia agreed with a gentle laugh. "It's best to stay humble."
"They're great names," Alice half-heartedly grumbled, unable to hide her smile. She mimicked Will and reached for another tray of snacks, pulling them over to herself.
The pair stayed and chatted with Sylvia for a while longer before finally departing, heading south of the city and towards Ilias Village.
Will stood near the entrance of the village, taking in the sight of it. It'd almost been a year since he was last there and it was the same as he remembered, a quaint little village where the only significant landmark was the massive 'shrine' to Ilias. It'd survived the war with minimal damage, thanks to the timely intervention of Micaela and other residents of Enrika. They'd managed to drive away the angels attacking it.
"You know, it's strange being here again. I didn't think I'd ever return. It all started here. Hell, we met just over there," Will remarked to Alice as he gestured to a patch of forest away from the village.
Alice followed his gaze. "I remember. You made a terrible impression, blatantly undressing me with your eyes before even introducing yourself," she chided him in a teasing tone, tail curling around him to poke his cheek. She didn't need to disguise herself as a human anymore and was very pleased by that fact.
"It doesn't take much imagination to do that," Will replied with a smirk, gently grasping the end of her tail and kissing it. "I'm happy that we met."
Alice's purple skin darkened by several shades as she faintly blushed. "You're still a sappy sentimentalist."
"I gotta fluster you when I can," Will said with a cheeky smile and chuckled. He wrapped his tail around her waist and leaned against her, gently tugging her forward. They started down the road at a leisurely pace, heading towards Luka's house. The pair got a few curious stares from villagers, most trying to place Will's face, and a few even waving once they recognized him.
He had spent a month living amongst them, and it was a pleasant surprise that any really remembered him. As they went through the village, the front of the massive temple to Ilias came into view and Will spotted a man sitting on the front steps, staring at the ground at his feet with a forlorn expression.
It took him a second to realize it was the priest that was in charge of the temple, the Father whose name he never learned, only referring to the man by his title the few times they ever interacted. Will slowed to a stop, staring at him. "Hey, I know that guy, I used to work for him," he explained to Alice, pointing at the priest.
"It appears that he's regretting his career choice. Maybe some reflection would do him good," Alice said without much sympathy for him.
Will's brow furrowed and a moment later he unlatched himself from Alice. "I think I want to speak to him. There's no harm in that," he replied, starting to walk over to the priest. "You can wait or go on ahead."
Alice let out a huff and crossed her arms. "I can wait."
The priest didn't look up to acknowledge Will when he got close, instead staring at the ground. His priestly clothing was dirtied and tattered, and smelt like it hadn't been cleaned in weeks. After several seconds he noticed the shadow cast over him and reluctantly lifted his head, dark circles around his eyes and wrinkles more pronounced by her perpetual frown. "Do you seek guidance?"
"No but it looks like you do," Will replied as he sat down on the front steps beside him. "I'm not sure if you remember me-"
"Oh I do," the priest nodded his weary head. "You were the man sent to aid Luka in his journey. The one saved by Ilias. I have heard much about your travels and I see that recent events have treated you better than they have me," he observed, speaking without any judgement in his tone and inclining his head towards Alice.
"They have, but I didn't come here to rub it in your face," Will responded, nodding his head slightly before motioning to the priest. "I saw you and thought I should… say something."
"You have nothing to concern yourself with. I'm merely… contemplating my life choices," the priest replied, expression turning more pensive. "I dedicated my life to her. I prayed faithfully every day, oversaw every festival, ritual, and ceremony, carried them out exactly as she'd instructed, and guided heroes after their baptism. All I ever wanted was to be acknowledged by her for my dedication, my loyalty and faith."
He raised his face and looked up at the bright blue sky, watching clouds gently roll by overhead. "And do you know how it was rewarded? The day of reckoning had come, I thought, and we were gathered in the temple, prepared to be welcomed into Heaven by her, but when her angels arrived…" Moisture gathered in the corners of his eyes and his chin began to tremble. "They started massacring people. I watched members of my parish die, and the ones that stopped it were monsters. Elves and fallen angels came to our rescue, led by the Seraph Micaela."
Will hesitantly raised a hand and placed it on the man's shoulder. "I'm sorry."
The priest took a shuddering breath and pulled out an embroidered handkerchief, dabbing the tears away from his face. "Do you think she ever loved us?"
"To be honest, I don't think so," Will replied, shaking his head. "If she ever did, it wasn't a kind, warm love. She wanted to control and possess humanity, like a child's favourite toy."
"That's… what I suspected. The church can't go on, not as it is, if at all. There's no salvaging it, is there?" He turned his back and looked up at the statue of Ilias carved on the front of the temple's wall.
"No, there's really not. Her legacy can't be rehabilitated, shouldn't be rehabilitated," Will firmly said, mirroring the priest and looking up at the statue. "She convinced so many to dedicate their lives to her, and perhaps the works and deeds they built and did were good, in spite of who they were in honour to, but we can't go forward and pretend nothing's changed. The entire church was built as a cult of personality by her simply to stroke her own ego."
"A lifetime of work, all for nothing," the priest glumly replied, bringing his gaze down and looking at Will. "I once thought that I was a good person but I've been questioning every decision I ever made. I only gave you work because I was instructed to do so. If I hadn't, would I have? If Luka hadn't housed you, would I have opened the doors of the temple for you? How many have I ignored or turned away because I felt it wasn't my duty to care for them?"
Will didn't have an answer, remaining silent for a moment before replying. "You know, you're still alive. It's not too late to do something else with your life. Maybe… maybe the temple could be repurposed into something better, a library or school perhaps?" he tentatively suggested. "The archive is filled with books and you're an educated man, becoming a teacher isn't that big of a leap."
"A library or school?" the priest echoed the words, tasting the words and ideas attached to them. "Yes, turn it into a center of education. That could be a good use of it." His expression picked up, looking more content than he had moments before.
"I think so too," Will nodded in agreement. "Make it open to the public and help educate the next generation. They can grow up in a world without Ilias."
"I believe that I'd like that, very much," the priest remarked, sounding optimistic. He extended a hand to Will, who grasped and shook it. "Thank you for speaking with this old fool."
"I didn't do anything," Will replied, waving it off. "I hope this isn't a bad time to admit that I never actually learned your name. I only knew your title."
The priest let out a soft chuckle. "That's alright. I used to like being referred to by my title. It made me feel important. I'm simply Henry, no more, no less."
"Well Henry, it was good catching up," Will said with a smile.
"Likewise, my son- Will," Henry corrected myself. "Old habits." He pushed himself off the step, an action mirrored by Will, and looked back at the temple. "I'm going to start sorting through everything. There's no point putting it off."
"That's a good attitude to take," Will said in support, backing the man's back.
The priest nodded at Will, and walked into the temple, closing the large wooden door behind himself. Will heard Alice slithering up to him and turned to see a pensive expression on her face. "I didn't expect that much self-reflection from a former priest," she quietly admitted.
"It's fortunate that he was capable of it. I can't imagine it'd be easy for him and others, but it's better than not confronting it," Will softly replied, before shrugging and turning away from the temple. "Now come on, Luka's still waiting for us."
He once more latched onto her as they continued to Luka's house.
Will knocked on the door to Luka's house to announce his and Alice's arrival, before opening it a second later. He was greeted by the aroma of food cooking and the sounds of lively discussion, everyone else arrived before the couple did. There were shouts from down the hall, greeting the two of them.
"Hey, sorry we're a bit late," he apologized as he and Alice stepped into the kitchen. The small house was packed, some people had to stand because of a lack of chairs and to avoid crowding Luka out of the kitchen entirely.
The numerous fluffy tails of Tamamo and Yao took up their fair share of space, and Sylph buzzed around the ceiling, jumping from conversation to conversation. The three other spirits were huddling together in a corner, watching their hyperactive companion in equal parts amusement and exasperation. Eden stayed close to her sister Micaela, anxiously glancing between the other guests and practically hiding behind her, while Micaela spoke with Lazarus. The former terrorist, and pseudo-uncle to Luka, leaned out the window every now and then to exhale the smoke from his cigarette, before continuing to share stories of his adventures with Marcellus. His cripple arm was held close in a sling against his chest to keep it out of the way.
"He felt the need to give life advice on our way over. It worked out, so it wasn't a waste of time," Alice informed them, gaze immediately shifting to the numerous pots and pans atop Luka's stove. The hero was hard at work cooking and ordering Sara and Granberia around like they were sous chefs, life-like prosthetic fingers on his left hand softly whining with every movement. He wore the mechanical harness like a glove over his hand, strapped down tightly to keep it in place, and a small arcane power source on the back of the palm.
Luka tore his gaze away from the stove and smiled at the pair in acknowledgement. He raised a hand and pointed to a large untouched tray of snacks set off to the side. "That's to keep you tied over until dinner, Alice."
Her eyes lit up in surprise and tail reflexively started to wag in excitement. "Such a gracious host, I should expect anything less," she remarked in approval, snatching the tray up and slithering off to the side, standing in the doorway to a hall to consume it out of the way.
"No surprise that you'd claim an entire tray for yourself, dear sister. Your greed knows no bounds," Yao admonished Alice, reaching over with her tails to snatch the food, only to get swatted away.
"If you're going to whine you should have eaten before you arrived," Alice countered, turning her body to keep her own tray out of reach. The two continued to lighthearted bicker with each other, their words holding no venom, while Tamamo looked on in amusement, silently munching on a bowl of fried tofu.
"Smart move there," Will said to Luka in a hush tone. "That bought you at least ten more minutes to finish cooking."
"I'll be done by then," Luka replied with certainty, smiling up at his friend. "You two keep what you're doing, I'll be back in a minute," he instructed Sara and Granbera as he put down his spoon and stepped out of the kitchen. He motioned for Will to follow him out of the room, and he complied.
They stepped out the back door, closing it behind them and muffling the chatter of guests.
"Everything okay?" Will asked, looking over his friend with concern. The hero seemed at peace, a gentle breeze of tranquility rolling off him.
"I'm fine. There's just something I had to ask you," Luka answered, raising his hands in a placating manner to assure his friend. "Do you know what happened to my mother's spirit?"
Will wracked his brain, trying to recall if he had an answer, before slowly shaking his head. "I'm not sure, honestly. In the story, she appeared as a ghostly figure at the end to cheer you on in the fight against Ilias. Afterwards though… she was gone."
Luka let out a sharp breath. "When I blacked out, I heard her voice in my head. She said she was proud of me and that she'd always be with me."
"Then she spoke to you. Those were her words, not your imagination," Will firmly said, treating it with the utmost gravitas.
"I know, I felt her presence when she said that," Luka replied as he glanced down at the ring on his right hand. His prosthetic fingers gently rubbed it. "I hoped that there might have been more."
Will rested a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I wish I had more information I could offer, but I don't."
"You have nothing to apologize for," Luka replied, patting Will's hand and wistfully smiling at him. "That's enough to give me peace of mind. She's watching after me, wherever she is. That's all I need to know."
"I'm glad I could offer that much at least," Will said with a sigh, mirroring his friend's expression.
"Let's go back inside," Luka said as he turned back towards the house. "I can't leave those two unsupervised in the kitchen. They're likely to burn everything."
Will let out a bark of laughter and nodded along. "That sounds like them." He walked beside Luka as they re-entered the house, noises of people socializing washing over them once again. Will watched as Luka jumped back into the kitchen, seamlessly returning to the task he'd left off, and surveyed the room.
It was packed with people speaking to each other with a lively energy he hadn't seen in what felt like ages. The disparate people all tied together by shared connections to one another, and Will realized the eccentric colourful bunch spread out before him were family. The last time he'd had a house party like that was during Christmas, before he stumbled through that portal.
He felt a dampness on his cheeks, and gently brushed wiped his eyes. He hadn't thought of Earth in so long. It didn't feel like home in his mind anymore. It was just a place he used to live. The word meant something else to him. It called to mind the house in Ilias Village, the estate in Yamatai Village, and the castle in Hellgondo. He'd travel the breadth and width of the world, and he belonged to it.
This was his new home.
