Instert standard disclaimer here. Everyone should know that I don't own these characters. Except, of course, the original ones. Also chopped the story up into chapters. Sorry if the transitions are rough. If you want to read it without chapters, head over to vejiitasei.com.

This is the last chapter in this story. Hope you enjoyed it, and please don't forget to review! Be sure to read the sequel, Absolution 2, either here at ff.net or on my site. Also, if you visit the site, fanart accompanying this fic awaits you. Thanks!

Absolution- Part 1, Chapter 29
by the Prime Minister

They rematerialized in the middle of their parlor, the servants staring at them. Uh, you're all free to go, Xellos said cheerfully. Miss Lina here will make sure your wages are paid next week. I'm sorry to give you such short notice, but I'm afraid your services will no longer be needed.

The servants didn't need any prompting. A few of them ran screaming, apparently frightened by their sudden appearance, and the rest backed out of the room quickly. Lina grunted, scowling at the empty room.

Oh well, Xellos sighed, looking down at her. He regretted it, just a little. It was a shame that he would be hunted down, tortured, and killed. His eyes roved over her face, memorizing every detail. She was aging well, an air of passion and learning about her, and wisdom was already beginning to show in her eyes, even though she was only in her mid-twenties. Lina's trim figure and petite build would help her become a striking old woman, and he wished he would be around to see her. After all, he had always been curious, and Lina had never disappointed his curiosity. I'm going to fetch Lecia now.

Don't you think that's dangerous? What if Xellas tries to stop you?

Xellos considered it, weighing the risk. Xellas most likely wouldn't stop Dynast and Dolphin from claiming him for his crimes, but there was also the chance she didn't know yet. He would also prefer Lina to raise the child, knowing that only mortals could truly understand other mortals. I don't think she knows, not yet, and I don't want her raising Lecia. The child needs her mother. I have to hurry.

Lina looked at him long and hard, then nodded. Be careful, she said, taking a step back, and he made haste to Wolfpack Island.

Xellos didn't even bother announcing himself to Xellas, instead teleporting directly into her throne room. He spotted Lecia immediately, playing on the floor with some patterned tiles in front of the throne where Xellas lounged. Lecia cried, abandoning her toys and running to him.

Hello, little one, he replied, scooping her up into his arms with one fluid motion.

the Greater Beast said, raising an eyebrow. You're here early.

The mission is completed, Mistress, he said calmly, bowing as well as he could with his child in his arms. The temple of the Air Dragon King is no more.

Where are Naiyad and Ority? she asked, but he was already in motion.

Don't forget my wolf, Lecia said, and Xellos clenched his teeth as he teleported, annoyed at having to waste the time to collect his daughter's things but not wanting to alert Lecia to the fact that something was terribly, terribly wrong. He reappeared in her room and quickly shoved her toys and clothes into a bag. Lecia bounded into his arms again and he had just started to phase out of the physical plane when Xellas appeared.

she demanded, golden eyes flashing, but it was too late. He was already on his way.

As he appeared once again in his home panic had set in full-force. Xellas was angry at him, he knew it, and would only become angrier when she found out what he had done. Time was of the essence, and he didn't know how much of it he had left. he heard Lina cry, and he immediately set Lecia down. The child looked up into his eyes, and suddenly his senses went haywire. Something was very, very wrong with his daughter. Quickly examining her, he couldn't find a single scrape or bruise, but something was wrong.

he said gently, not wanting to alarm Lina or anger her but needing her to remain quiet so he could concentrate.

Lecia asked, eyes wide with anxiety.

Just a minute, he murmured, and then it struck him. The teleporting had been much easier than usual. It normally took quite a bit of his energy to teleport a mortal, since their astral forms were so much weaker. He not only had to pull their physical body onto the astral plane, but also protect it and their astral body as he traveled. This time, however, it had been nearly as easy as teleporting by himself. Frightened, he pulled himself off of the physical plane and onto his native one, reeling with the influx of power as he always did. The astral plane was so much more comfortable, and for a moment he relaxed. There was Lina, burning brightly as always, and then he felt pure horror overtake him. He suddenly knew why Xellas was so interested in his little girl. Lecia's astral form was four times the size of her mother's. It still wasn't nearly as large as his, but it was more than enough for her to be well on her way to being a Monster. Xellas had slowly been adding astral energy to his daughter, obviously hoping to someday pledge her and make her a minion. He must not have noticed before because his mistress had been doing it little by little, and it had taken several months of absence for there to be a big enough change for him to perceive it. With a hiss he appeared again on the physical plane, Lecia pressed against her mother.

Lina demanded, her eyes flickering with fear.

Anger filled Xellos, rage whose equal he had never experienced in all his long existence. How dare his mistress meddle with his child? He knew that he was Xellas' possession, but just because he was hers didn't mean Lecia was as well. I'm going, he announced coldly, gripping his staff so tightly it would have broken, had it been made of wood and not astral energy given physical form.

Lina asked, her voice hard and desperate-sounding.

Wolfpack Island, he growled in reply, and left.

he bellowed, striding into the hall.

What is going on here? Xellas snapped, appearing in front of him, her golden eyebrows plunging in a scowl.

How dare you? he demanded. She's not yours!

Xellas relaxed a little, looking at him levelly. So you noticed, did you?

How long did you think you could add to her before I found out?

Hopefully for years, but I see I got greedy.

You had no right to do such a thing, he proclaimed. Wrath, it turned out, was something Monsters could feel very well.

And who are you to tell me what I do and do not have a right to do? she asked coldly, crossing her arms over her chest, her bangles jangling in the silence of the shadowy room. Even the rustling of underlings had ceased, and tension hung thick in the air.

Xellos could barely see, he was so infuriated. He had almost never lost control, and yet he felt events spiraling away from him at that very moment. His life was forfeit anyway, however, so he might as well try and protect what was his. I am that child's father, he growled, And as such I have every right to tell you.

Xellas curled her lip and flared her nostrils. Ah, there's that insufferable human taint again. It has given you the bizarre notion that you have some sort of free will and control over your life.

It was you who made me mortal, and you who contaminated me, he replied, finally able to master his tone of voice. You are at fault for my impurity.

You have no free will, Xellos, she spat. I have granted you a certain amount of autonomy because it served my purposes, but you are, and always will be, nothing but my servant, my creation, my possession. As such, what is yours is also mine. I own you.

That might be so, but you do not own Lecia. She is mortal, and she will stay that way.

The Greater Beast's eyes narrowed dangerously and she took a step forward. I gave you life and I can take it away, she snarled. You were the best minion ever, and yet you choose to throw it all away. You are far too valuable to destroy, but I will see you punished.

Do your worst, Xellos countered, and began to summon energy. He never wanted his mistress near his family again, and he knew that if he let her live Lecia would always be in danger of becoming a Monster. It was doubtful that he even had a chance of defeating her, but he had to try. He might not love his family, but he respected them and understood his responsibility to protect him. Damn his tainted soul; it made him do things no self-respecting demon would ever consider. Calling all the power he could muster, he let loose a spell at Xellas. She flinched but batted it aside, not even singed.

You might be able to call on Lord Ruby-Eye's power, but I can call even more of it, she said, voice low and dangerous, and released an awesome wave of power.

He dodged it, but just barely. She wasn't using enough energy to kill him, so she had told him the truth about that. It was obvious that she intended to hurt him, though, and he decided that shamanist magic might help his cause. Releasing another spell, he moved to the side as he cast it, then let loose another attack from a new position. Xellas was caught in the second spell, having fallen into his trap, but it had no effect. He thought to run and try again from a new place, but suddenly she was in front of him, her long-fingered hand closing around his throat with frightening force. Although they were fighting mainly on the physical plane, he felt his astral body seized as well, groaning as she trapped his true form.

No one defies Xellas Metallium, she hissed between her teeth, giving him a shake.

He gurgled with the motion then began to scream. She was piercing his astral form in a thousand places, pinning every single particle of him down. He was immobile and there was nothing he could do about it. Xellas would pick him apart piece by tiny piece, and then put him back together again. The pain raced through every iota of energy that made up his being, and he cried out again in agony, the sound ripping out of his physical body with astounding force.

Does that hurt? Xellas said coldly, and through his haze of anguish he could see that she was not enjoying her task. Are you ready to admit your mistake and surrender?

Xellos cracked open an eye and panted, feeling her ease off just enough so that he could reply. he croaked, and saw her face twist in frustration.

Damn you! she cried, lifting him off the ground and shaking him. Her long nails dug into the sides of his throat and her grip on his astral form tightened even further. She was strangling each of his bodies, and it wouldn't be long before he would lose consciousness and his mistress could torture him in earnest until he relented and behaved himself.

Xellos screamed again, his being raw with the sounds, and kicked his legs as he tried to free his astral form. Struggle as he might, however, he could make no headway, and she had portioned off enough of his astral form with her own that he was losing energy rapidly. There wasn't much hope that he could hold on much longer, and another screech of anguish ripped itself from his body. Stop it! he heard someone shout, and he felt Xellas' surprise through the grip she had on his astral body. There was a brief struggle, some explosions, and suddenly there was a shining force on the astral plane. It was as if a hot blade sliced through his true body, severing not only Xellas' hold on him but also part of himself. A final scream left him as he felt his astral energy began to leak away, and then everything went black as he lost consciousness.