Fall of Grace

Lilith stood on top of the statue of Sparda in the middle of the plaza. Though it was the early afternoon, the day was dark from the rain clouds above. Hundreds of people were gathering below. Wails and laments blocked out the sounds of thunder. People disguised as personifications of death, some of which bore an eerie resemblance to Death Scythes, circled and danced through the plaza to the solemn beat of several drums. Some people threw offerings of flowers, gems, and precious metals at the foot of the statue. A priest and priestess from one of the temples slashed their palms and smeared the blood across Sparda's feet. Lilith let the scene continue for about an hour before she raised her hands. Everyone immediately fell silent.

"The Third God Vergil has passed before us!" Lilith made her voice project across the plaza. The people below listened intently, though some of them swayed back and forth as if in a trance. "The Third God is no longer among us in body, but let him forever watch over us in spirit! Bound no longer by the limits of flesh, he is now a true god!" The people responded with more wailing. Some people slashed the skin under their eyes to simulate the tears of blood. Lilith removed a handful of ashes, Vergil's ashes, from a bag in her pocket and tossed them over the crowd. The people reached up to catch as much of it as they could so they could keep some of it for themselves. No one noticed Lilith shaking her head in disgust. She stayed perfectly still on top of the statue while the funerary ritual played itself out below. When the final person finished mourning and left the plaza, Lilith threw herself from the statue. She landed safely in the street several feet away.

Thunder rolled one more time before rain finally began to fall. For the first time in her entire life, Lilith walked slowly home without fear of being chased. She passed the vine of evening glories on her way. She pulled one free and continued on.

(X)

Koromos's body lay out under the sun. A crow landed on his forehead. The ground was covered with blood that gushed from his neck. The crow leaned over to peck out an eyeball. It cawed and flew away in terror when the eye it was aiming for jerked and looked in its direction. Koromos opened his mouth to spit blood.

"I hate when people don't listen to me." Bloody tendrils slithered from under the flesh around his neck and shot out for his head. They pulled the head closer to the body as they worked to reform his neck. He sighed with pleasure as he felt the tissues reconnect and spark back to life. When he was whole again, he sat up and rubbed his newly formed neck.

"I was wondering when I'd have a chance to do that." Koromos stood and stretched. "It seems I'm too late. Everything's gone quiet." He took his time making his way to the portal that would lead him to the Underworld. He headed straight for the main building where his father liked to conduct what little dirty work he actually did. His jaw dropped in shock when he saw the shape the building was in. He stepped over broken marble and debris towards the large crack in the floor. He broke into a fit of laughter when he saw Mundus's head lying on the floor.

The eyes snapped open and looked his way. Koromos stood over it and tapped it with his foot. "This is great," Koromos taunted. "What will you do now?" Mundus growled at him. Koromos picked up the head. "I know what you were trying to do when you thought I was dead. You tried to force Lilith into being your bride, didn't you?"

The head snapped at him. "What are you going to do?" Koromos asked. "Bite me?"

"How dare you," the head accused.

"Don't be upset," Koromos said. "You know there is no honor among our kind, not even within the families."

"I will kill you," the head growled.

"With what? You couldn't even defeat Dante and Lilith. What can you do against me now?" Koromos stood on the edge of the crevice and held his father's head over it. "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything. Just so you know, Lilith is intended to be my wife, not yours. She just doesn't know it yet."

He dropped the head into the crevice and listened for it to bounce across the bottom. "It's time to get going. I have to go get my bride."

(X)

Lilith closed the door and leaned against it. When she'd gathered herself together, she stepped into the living room. To her surprise, Dante was sitting on the divan under the window.

"You're in my spot," she said softly.

"Sorry," he said without looking at her. "I hope you'll forgive me, given the circumstances."

Lilith approached the divan and sat opposite Dante. He finally glanced her way. "You're soaking wet," he said. He reached for her hair and squeezed out some of the excess water.

Lilith shook her head. She didn't know if she did it out of habit or pity. "Where are you?"

Dante dropped his hand. "What?"

"Where are you? Your body is here, but where is your mind?"

Dante sighed. "Everything has been turned upside down. It's almost like we're living in a twilight, trapped between day and night."

Lilith hesitated for a moment before holding out her hand. The evening glory was sitting in her palm. "I hear that my mother loved these."

Dante looked at her with surprise before taking the evening glory. Then he bowed his head. Lilith heard him softly sobbing. "I thought devils didn't cry."

Dante chuckled before sniffling. "What is that? Sarcasm?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, it is."

Dante lifted his head. "I accept that without flinching nor reservation. I deserve it."

"I'm sorry." Lilith wiped the water from her face. "You should have seen them in the plaza today. It was awful. The way they cried and mourned as a form of celebration. They honestly believe that Vergil died on purpose to become a true god."

"I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that you have to live like this, but the only alternative was for us to stay in the Underworld. There was no way I'd do that."

"I understand. I'm not upset. Not at you, anyway." Lilith tilted her head back. "It is nice how quiet it is up here. There are no voices screaming in the background."

Dante gazed through the window. "I killed my brother. He begged me to do it, and I wouldn't until he deliberately threatened you. If I hadn't done anything, would he have actually hurt you?"

"He would have," Lilith said with certainty. "He wanted to die that badly. Quite frankly, though I loved my uncle Vergil, he's better off that way."

Dante shook his head. "For the First Goddess, I do believe you have lost your damn mind."

"Much madness is divinest sense." She watched her father finger the petals of the morning glory. "It's just you and me, now," she said. "I guess this will be our first good night's sleep."

"Far from it. We must not relax. Ever. That is how we would be overcome. We have no way of knowing we are safe, so we must assume we are not."

"Is that how we must live our entire lives? Constantly on guard?"

"Better that than be caught by surprise. It's not the life I wanted for you, but it's the only one I have the power to give you."

"All right, but don't let that destroy us."

"It's too late for me. I've already lost too much. My wife. My brother. Myself. I could have lost you because I was willing to sacrifice you to destroy Mundus."

"I was willing to sacrifice myself, but I am still here. Let me anchor you. All is not lost." Lilith stood and wrapped her arms around Dante's neck. "You no longer have a facade to uphold, Dad. Let the devil cry." She kissed the back of his head and ruffled his hair before heading for the stairs. Dante watched her until she disappeared over the top.

"Damn her," he whispered. "She doesn't know what the hell she's talking about." He lifted the evening glory to his face and sniffed it. He deliberately focused all his energy into enjoying the sweet smell so he wouldn't have to acknowledge the impending tears that wanted to flow down his face. As he leaned forward, the red medallion around his neck slid from under his coat. Dante crushed the flower as he at last let the tears pour freely.