A/N: The next chapter. I suggest listening to kinda autumn vibe music for this, although it is set during the summer. I tend to listen to autumn vibe music when writing, it gives a more...emotional tone I guess. So yeah, a suggestion.

Till next time,

D.L.D


~~~~~Thunder-and-Lightning~~~~~

Time is a funny concept. It can pass in the blink of an eye or take so long that years seem to wane into the space of a mere second. Time is something no-one can control, change or manipulate, and yet it is the one thing that dictates all that exists. Time ages; Time passes; Time creates; Time destroys.

Clap!

Elizabeth springs up from sleep almost instantly, her slumber being a particularly unpleasant one. Sweat clung to her skin and the shivery, crawling feeling of some unseen force or shadow insisted to sit on her spine as she frantically peered around her darkened room.

Owlish and wide, her eyes met the large window opposite her. Clear glass gave the perfect view of the world beyond, soft mounds of grass-covered hills and the meandering dirt tracks in between spread out to form a sprawling landscape. Dark waters gushed in small brooks and the main winding river of the local area, a distant bridge looking like a wooden block. A few trees were speckled between each patch of land and water, their leaves all melded to form waving bushes that bent with the force of the howling winds outside.

However Elizabeth didn't notice them; she noticed the speckled drops of dark liquid crystal that sat upon her window.

Rain.

Outside, buckets poured from the heavens above, tears of the sky, landing to make the mix-matched music of mother nature. Clouds were darkened to a curling smog, clumped together to block out the sky. Howling winds were whipping all into shape, relentlessly pushing on its unfortunate victims. Faintly, leftover rumbles of thunder rolled across the earth, their electric static thrumming through Elizabeth's veins like a faint undercurrent of familiar power. Her mother's power.

"Thunderstorms..." Elizabeth breathed, pressing her lips as she already sensed the spike in her darkness' power.

Ever since she was little, Elizabeth's darkness had grown a distaste towards thunder. The sound, the flashing, even the mention of it would make part of her feel like a cat on edge. Hairs on the back of her neck would rise, her muscles would tense and her eyes would frantically dart about. Thunder was a thing that made every fiber of her body alert, electrified, and Elizabeth never forgot how it made her body panic.

Most of the time, her mother would brush it aside as jitters - small fears within Elizabeth. But Elizabeth knew better.

Thunderstorms and demon blood were things that did not mix. Thunderstorms and demon blood were things that both brought fear.

A ghostly finger traced the bumps of Elizabeth's spine; she did not shiver.

Clap!

Bright. That would describe the sudden flash of light and electricity that sparked down from the sky, joining the low and heavy rolling of thunder. Shadowed clouds were brightened to become graceful grey puffs; a gloomy sky cleared to display a beautifully coloured sunrise; and the rain all but seemed to clear for just a split second.

The sublime. It wasn't a new sight. It wasn't an old one either. It was one that could pass through time in ways people couldn't - a thing that could transcend everything else of mortal comprehension. Of living comprehension. Only gods had the power to understand and control the sublime.

Something unseen and unknown taking over, Elizabeth climbed out of the safety of her bed and padded towards her drawers. Effortlessly, she pulled off her nightgown and elegantly slipped a white chiton over her head to replace it. After adjusting the fabric, she grabbed her golden armbands, firmly slid them on and headed towards her home's exit. There was no need for shoes - they'd get ruined with where she was going.

When she gets to the door, Elizabeth pauses. Frozen, her hand rests upon the doorknob.

"One more time," Elizabeth whispers to herself, closing her eyes as she stiffly turns the knob and yanks the door open. "Just one more time."

Rain immediately wetting her face, the silver-haired beauty walked out into the rain. Each drop pelted her face, icy and refreshing to the touch, as she hurriedly closed the painted door behind her and stepped further into the rushing shower.

Howling and whipping winds roughly barged past, tangling her soaked silver tresses and billowing the thin layers of her chiton. Each gust harshly beckoned and pushed for the woman to turn back, to seek refuge within the warm walls of her home, but ultimately gave up when Elizabeth began to walk along the muddy track that led towards the nearby forest.

Contrasting already reddened skin, pale goosebumps danced up Elizabeth's arms as she shivered and trekked along the grotty, soaked country lanes to her destination.

Sticky and thick, dirt and mud clung to the soft soles of her feet. They got between her toes, in her toenails and even on her ankles, but Elizabeth did not care. She was too determined. Too resolute. Twigs and rocks were no enemy to her feet either, neither were the muddy puddles dotted along the track, and the hybrid easily found herself at ease as she breathed in the swirling air and freezing rain. At times, she even laughed, fresh-faced and carefree in the face of nature's scariest force.

It didn't take long for Elizabeth to find herself at her destination. She knew the path too well, had trekked it too often, to forget how to get there. It was as if the wind had carried her to the spring, as if Elizabeth had not walked but flown there. Her feet couldn't remember stepping that way, hopping over fallen trees and treading onto slick stepping stones. But somehow they did. Now she sat on the edge of the praying pool, dangling her muddy feet within the clear waters to wash them off. A few leaves had fallen into the water, still green and bright with youth, contrasting with the murky sediment that stained the once-pristine pool.

She had come here to pray, to seek some sort of final strength from her heavily relied upon goddess side, but now that notion had been abandoned. In the face of the chaos and discord that the storm had brought, Elizabeth had found a new calm that praying often failed to do. The thunderstorm had soothed her in ways that praying never could. Perhaps it was because her mother controlled the skies. Perhaps it was because her darkness had finally accepted it.

"What a funny thought..." Elizabeth frowned a little, lifting a foot from the water. She examined it, noting the small thorn that had been caught on the sole. She should pluck it out, heal the wound, but something was stopping her. Something odd.

Was it the sublime?

'Thinking?' Today the darkness was different. Calmer. She spoke in a less hissing and predatory tone, instead sounding feline like the curious cat she was. It wound around her ankle. 'Have you finally realised the truth?'

"Don't be silly," Elizabeth scoffed, rolling her eyes as she decided to pluck the thorn. Gritting her teeth, she removed the hazard and began to heal her freshly bleeding foot. "I'm just keeping you in check for a final time."

'Whatever you say,' The darkness teased, small trails of it dancing on Elizabeth's skin. 'You'll need me more than you think.'

"Whatever you say," Elizabeth quoted, smiling a little as she decided to lay on her back in the spring. Silver hair sprawled out behind her, luxurious and shiny like rolls of fine silk. "Whatever you say..."

Retreating, the darkness slunk back to wherever it resided when not present. It left Elizabeth to lay in the pool, dazed and starry eyed as she breathed in the moist scent of freshly fallen leaves. The moist scent of freshly wet earth.

"What a strange dream..."


~~~~~Thunder-and-Lightning~~~~~

When Elizabeth returned back home, wet and with no recollection of where she had been, her mother had not been pleased. The first thing she had received was a scolding, a really bad one, and she was sent to bathe immediately.

Washing away the sacred water of the spring had felt strange today. Usually, it would feel like removing a layer of protection, safety, when Elizabeth erased the water with the warm waves of a bath. It would feel like being born again - she'd feel naked and exposed.

Today, though, Elizabeth found herself enjoying the way the heated water of her bath washed away the cool water of the spring. It felt like layers of some sort of stifling shield were being removed, each scrub of her washcloth getting her closer to feeling free, boundless.

So naturally, Elizabeth couldn't avoid scrubbing away as much as she could. She wanted to be free, to be boundless, when she began her journey to the demon realm. Today would be her first day being Elizabeth, just Elizabeth, and finding out what exactly she wanted herself to be.

Forget her mother! Forget her duties! Forget the fact she was marching towards what could be her death! Today was a day to mark the first time in Elizabeth's life when she could control who she was. Today was a day that marked the beginning of her journey, her independence, and for that she wanted to be unrestricted.

For that she wanted to be free.

That thought was evident when Elizabeth emerged red-skinned and fresh, dressed in her mother-approved clothes and carrying the gentle scent of lilies and other flora. All the warm, earthly scents from before had vanished, replaced with the fragrant oils of soaps and bubbles. Her darkness had loathed it at first, liking the slightly acidic smell of soil, but soon complied when it noticed the pure waters of the spring being gone.

"Elizabeth!" The Supreme Deity grinned, taking her daughter by the arm. She easily dragged Elizabeth towards the table, plopping her down at one of the carved two chairs. "Eat up! My future champion is going to leave on a full stomach today!"

Steam. It curled and carried the sweet aroma of sugar and fruits as Elizabeth was left to look at the abundant array of foods her mother had prepped for her final breakfast at home.

Shiny strawberries sparkled ruby on top of swirls of snow white cream. Sweet syrups ran down the sides of golden brown bakes, warm waffles and picturesque pancakes piled by the dozen onto plates. Golden egg yolks caught the small rays of sunlight beaming through the kitchen window, matching strips of crispy bacon and perfectly buttered toast. Cheese was left to be cut and added as desired, along with a pot of sugar and a pitcher of syrup.

A teapot sat dainty in the middle of the spread, her mother's finest one, the gentle steam wisping from the container carrying the scent of jasmine and cinnamon.

"You made all of this?" Elizabeth gaped, awestruck at the thoughtfulness of her parent. It was unlike her to do this; the last time she had was many, meany years ago and that was for a prestigious guest who came to stay.

"Of course!" The Supreme Deity smiled warmly, elegantly taking her seat across from her daughter. Her blue eyes sparkled with mirth and glee, a gloved hand already heaving food onto a plate. "Only the best for my darling child."

Nodding, Elizabeth watched as her mother filled the plate with other foods she had not spotted at first. Baked apples dusted with brown sugar; french toast with the bread looking perfectly golden and slathered in syrup; cream and jam blotted onto a small scone.

"You really shouldn't have," Elizabeth continued, her cheeks now dusting pink as her mother passed her the full plate. Already her stomach was growling from the tantalizing scent of the breakfast spread. "It must have taken ages to do. Plus I won't be able to finish it all."

"It doesn't matter," The Supreme Deity insisted, now graciously pouring a cup of tea. The amber liquid glowed in the sunlight. "I want you to enjoy your final moments here. I want it to be perfect."

Tears pricked at Elizabeth's eyes as she tried her best not to choke on her breakfast and emotions. Her mother truly had no right to be so kind, so glorious, to her. Elizabeth was only a child bred for destruction, death, her mixed heritage giving her no place that she could truly call home. And yet her mother, her wonderful, loving and perfect mother, had chosen to house her and raise her when no-one else would. Her mother was the one who chose to accept her cursed child.

Her father had not. He had ran - like the pitiful coward he was.

"I will do you proud then, mother," Elizabeth speaks lowly, solemnly, a serious look filling her doe-like eyes. For once her soft voice is filled with severity - intent. "I will come back alive."

"I know you will, my dear," The Supreme Deity smiled daintily, her chin resting upon her hands. She then sighed, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I just fear that you won't come back to me as you are."

"What was that mother?" Elizabeth raised a brow, her stuffed mouth hidden behind a soft hand. It wasn't polite to speak with a full mouth, but the hybrid simply couldn't resist in the face of her mother's glorious breakfast.

"Nothing, my pet, nothing," The Supreme Deity brushed it aside, easily plastering that kind smile of hers upon her lips once more. "Nothing at all."


~~~~~Thunder-and-Lightning~~~~~

Elizabeth had never really traveled alone. When she left the village, she was always accompanied by someone. Dinah, her mother, the Archangels: someone was always there to watch her when she left the safe confines of her home. Today, she would leave for the first time on her own.

Taking in a deep breath, Elizabeth glanced back at the waving pack of villagers still cheering from the confines of the village. They all wore brave smiles, their later tears and grief hidden behind their masks of excitement and happiness for the young woman who was beginning to blossom into her future.

Small children were the only ones to wail, their little eyes filled with tears and rounded faces reddened from being repeatedly rubbed and scrubbed with their hands. Out of everyone, it was the children who were the most outwardly upset with Elizabeth's departure. As she had gotten older, Elizabeth had taken to teaching the younger children about nature and the life it brings. As a result she had grown a large following of loyal disciples within the village, each child loving 'Miss Elizabeth' as if she were the big sister.

When they had spotted her pack and travelling gear today, they had all surged forwards and began their wails and cries. All of the children had clung to Elizabeth like glue, their little fingers acting like hooks, when the hybrid had bent down to scoop them all into one huge final hug.

"Don't go, miss Elizabeth!"

"We'll miss you too much!"

"What about the mice in the field?"

They had all had their concerns, their own little thoughts on her leaving. But like magic, Elizabeth had nullified each one. She soothed those who were crying the most, gave the elder children the 'responsibility' of looking after smaller children and even promised to come back soon. In a matter of seconds, Elizabeth had neutralised the whole pack and swiftly began to escape before anything else could delay her sweet taste of freedom.

However now that she was nearing the final bend, the final space in which she could see home, Elizabeth could feel her stomach sinking. Knots formed along her gut, tight and weighted as she peered back at the waving people and their little village.

She spotted each path and could recall her years running down them, hiding in select spots and playing around with other children. She remembered the bright decorations from festivals and celebrations, the ghost of the sensation of confetti and rice grains raining down her skin. Rainy days were spent dancing in the wet and jumping in puddles; sunny days were spent scaling trees and running amok through the streets.

Then there was the people - her people. Dinah, Erin, the children, the adults, her mother...

Forming in her eyes, Elizabeth sniffed as she wiped away bubbling tears. As much as freedom would taste sweet, refreshing, she would miss these people. She'd miss her home and she'd never forget that.

"Goodbye everyone!"

Elizabeth waves back, smiling widely despite the great tears that seeped down her curved cheeks.

Leaving is hard, but it is something she must do. Leaving is something that belongs with demon blood. Leaving is something that belongs with thunder and lightning.