The next day, Alastor received a tip about Teresa being on the move, so he quickly traveled through the shadows to Zestial's territory to get a better look.
Surely enough, watching from the shadows, the Radio Demon saw Zestial's servants loading up a carriage with demon horses in the courtyard of his castle while Angel, Husk, Zestial, and Terra chatted in front of the castle.
"Tis not too late," Zestial said. "It would be no trouble to ask my servants to unload thy belongings from the carriage."
"Are you sure you still want to do this, kid?" Husk asked. "You've had it good for over 70 years. You have a good afterlife, which you can still have here. But the moment you walk into those doors, you are guaranteed to run into your daddy. You won't be able to avoid that anymore, and I can't promise I'll be able to help you this time. No matter how badly I want to."
"I know, Husk, but I'm tired of being scared," Terra replied resolutely. "I finally have a real chance to get out of here, to get into Heaven and see my family, my friends, and Louise. Now that we know it's possible, I can't keep hiding in the shadows just because that monster might finally notice me. I ain't doing this for him anyway. If he even cares that I'm there, I'll deal with it like I've dealt with everything else. He won't stand in my way."
Alastor froze in shock for two reasons.
First, that was the first time the Radio Demon had ever heard his daughter speak. When he last saw her, she was so tiny all she could do was cry or coo. He had always wondered what her voice would sound like on those nights over at her mother's house when he'd turn on the radio or played George Gershwin records to help the fussy baby girl fall asleep. Alastor hoped her voice would be a pleasant one, even a musical one. Now, he finally heard that it was both.
Terra's voice had that slight New Orleans accent that sounded as warm and sweet as jazz. Yet it wasn't naïve. It was resolute, determined, intelligent, confident, insightful, and fearless though wary. That voice sounded better than Alastor had ever hoped it would. The only thing that would make it better was if he could hear her sing.
Alastor wiped his eyes. Wait, was he crying again? Oh, no. It was even worse. He was out of the shadows and in his physical form. Right inside the gates of Zestial's manor too. The only thing hiding him was a large rock. Fuck. How could he be this careless? This was not the time to be sentimental.
"I feel someone nearby," warned Terra to her three friends. "They're just inside the gate."
"I can handle this," Husk offered, getting out his cards.
"So can I," Angel said, summoning his guns.
"Don't worry about it, boys," Terra assured. "I can handle this."
Alastor growled under his breath. That was the second thing that shocked him. How had Husk known about his daughter the whole time? And, more importantly, who did he think he was to keep such a secret from him?
The Radio Demon sighed. He'd have to deal with that later.
Alastor instantly returned to his shadow form and slithered away, just in time to witness Terra using her magic.
Terra flew slightly a short distance away from the group as the voodoo symbols for earth flew around her and she instantly summoned an earthquake where she had been previously standing. The harpy demon then directed the small earthquake right to where Alastor had previously been standing, shattering the boulder in the process.
From his shadow on the wall of Zestial's castle, Alastor was both stunned and pleased. All the work he had put into growing his baby's power had paid off. She was magnificently strong and there was so much more room for her to grow. It made him smile with pride.
Terra flew over to where the boulder was and grimaced in confusion.
"They're gone," Angel said, walking over to where she was. "You must have scared them away. Good work, honey.
"That ain't it," Terra asserted as she landed beside him. "Something weird is happening."
"What do ya mean?" asked Angel.
"Someone was standing here just a second ago, but then they vanished before the earthquake even reached them," explained Terra. "And I don't mean they hopped the fence and ran away. I would have sensed that happening or we would have seen somebody move. It's like they were here and then they weren't."
"I see your point," Angel agreed. "But I wouldn't worry about it, Terra. It's probably a newcomer with teleportation powers or something snooping where they don't belong. No one else would bother coming if they knew who Zestial or you were, Earth Witch. You probably scared them away."
Terra smiled as she shrugged. "I suppose. I'm just a bit tense because of everything, you know."
"I don't blame ya," Angel said, putting a hand on her back and walking her back towards the carriage. "You might be the only person in all of Hell with a dad worse than mine. Let's get going. We can all go out on a night on the town to relieve some pressure."
"I'd appreciate that," Terra said, waving her hand over the boulder which caused it to come back together and fix itself.
Husk and Zestial knew who the intruder was.
Husk tried speaking up, but Zestial stopped him.
"The Radio Demon may be in our midst, but there's no need to frighten the poor maiden now," Zestial said, putting his hand on Husk's shoulder. "I shall deal with the gent once she and thou hath made thy departure. Prithee look after her for me."
Husk looked back at him and nodded solemnly.
"Thee has't mine own gratitude," Zestial said with a bow.
Just then, Terra and Angel came back over as the servant loaded the last box into the carriage.
"Everything hath been loaded onto thine carriage, mine own lief," said Zestial. "Tis the hour for your departure when you shall make my sorrow complete."
"Oh, Zestial, you always have such a flair for drama," scoffed Terra. "You'll see me again. I'll visit and I'll call if you ever answer the phone I bought for you."
"Tis a difficult device," complained Zestial.
"I've shown you how to use it a hundred times," Terra reminded him. "I even left instructions for you to look at if you forget. Now it seems to be that if you can figure out magic, politics, and so much other complicated stuff, you can use your phone."
"Thine argument has't convinced me," shrugged Zestial. "I shall use it."
Terra squealed excitedly. "Oh, Zestial, you will love it! You can look up music from everywhere in the world and even download it. I have the impressionists, ragtime, jazz, rock in all its marvelous forms, pop, hip hop, showtunes…All of it! You can download books that read themselves to you and apps to do plenty of other things too. It's so much more convenient than a record player or a radio. You'll love it!"
The ending comments made Alastor cringe.
"With such a glowing recommendation, I can hardly say no, especially if it helps me to heareth your lovely voice," Zestial complimented.
Terra smiled as she flew up to Zestial's eye level and hugged him. The ancient overlord hugged her back.
"Oh, Zestial, you've been swell," Terra said. "My real daddy may have gone to heaven, but you've been the next best thing."
"And having you hath been as having adopted another daughter," Zestial said. "Thou art always welcome within my doors."
Terra kissed Zestial on the cheek and said, "Thank you."
Alastor couldn't help but seethe in envy while watching. He was confronting Zestial about this matter.
"Other matters hath been brought to my attention," said Zestial. "Tis the right time for thy departure."
"If you insist," Terra said sadly as she entered the carriage where her friends were waiting. "I'll call or text you when I get settled in."
"I shall eagerly await it," said Zestial.
"Do not forget your promise," Terra said. "If I manage to make it up there…"
"I shall think about joining," Zestial finished with a chuckle. "I know. I haven't forgotten."
"Good," Terra said. "Well, I'll see you later, Zestial."
"Fare thee well, Terra," Zestial said with a bow. "I shall await messages of thy progress with eagerness."
And with that, the hellhound driving the carriage climbed onto the front, cracked a riding whip, and the hellhorses trotted away past the gates and into the streets as Terra waved from the window.
The carriage had driven away no sooner than Zestial felt a presence behind him.
"Hello, Alastor," said Zestial without turning around.
Alastor stood a few yards behind him. He kept his smile, but his eyes were squinted angrily. But true to form, he kept his composure and got right to the point.
"Zestial, I know we aren't what you'd call friends, but we have always been amiable colleagues," Alastor explained. "Have we not?"
"I suppose," Zestial shrugged.
"You knew the young woman who just departed from you was my daughter. Didn't you?" continued Alastor.
"For almost the entirety of our friendship," Zestial conceded.
"If that's the case, I only have one question. Why?" Alastor asked, feeling his antlers grow. "Why would you hide my daughter from me? How long has this been going on?"
"Twas the maiden's wish to be unknown to you for these 72 years," Zestial explained, turning around. "She knew of thy brutal reputation on earth and in hell. She felt that it would be wiser for her to avoid thee and thy schemes to save herself from being a pawn in a powerful overlord's game."
Alastor scoffed, "Are those her words or yours?"
"I can assure thee that the words art hers, Alastor," Zestial asserted. "I only agreed with her reasoning. She hath reason to be wary of a demon such as thyself. Thou hast allies, but thou art mysterious and dangerous. Thou also left a bad impression on earth. According to her, thou were brutish and a slayer of innocents. Thou deceived her mother and everyone as to your true intentions. In short, she felt it unwise to seek thy aide in any capacity."
"She only makes these assumptions because she doesn't remember me," Alastor said defensively. "Teresa was just over two months old when I died. She wasn't old enough to have any memories of me. Everything she knows about me is what she has been told by other people who neither knew me nor were they free from prejudice. Neither do you. I have never lifted a finger to harm my baby girl and have never intended to change that."
"Thou cannot blame a maiden for being wary of her company," Zestial retorted.
"But you did not make her wary of yours," Alastor protested. "If what you're saying is correct, she couldn't have been older than 20 at death. She was young, naive, and vulnerable. You could've sent her my way so that I may have given her my protection. You know that I am good to my lady friends, much more my own daughter. You had no right to keep her from me."
"My silence was not an insult against thee," Zestial replied calmly. "As I doth mentioned, her estrangement was her choice, not mine. I only understood and supported the fair maiden's choices."
"But why?" Alastor asked.
"I felt sympathy for her," Zestial shrugged. "I myself had no great love for my father. If it weren't for me being of the male sex, my mother would have been cast out and I would have continued to be only a bastard. Terra claimed she was born of illegitimacy with another man claiming her as his own since thou never wed her mother if I recall correctly. Seems reason enough to question thy intentions."
"I never abandoned her!" exclaimed Alastor in a volume that surprised Zestial and himself before forcing himself to calm down. "Another man took her mother's hand from mine, but I was always there to support my baby and my would-be bride. I provided for her mother and her until I died. I did even more than that. I gave her some of my power."
"Oh," said Zestial. "That explains her capability over earth magic."
"Indeed," Alastor said. "I am happy to know that her magic has served her well, but I always intended to give her so much more and that's what I intend to do."
"Thy daughter is not thy property," Zestial warned. "The maiden hath quite the spirit. She tolerates tyrants little, especially ruthless overlords. She hath a noble heart that hates cruelty and a determination that challenges even thy own. Terra will not entertain thy efforts to tyrannize her life."
"I do not intend to control her," Alastor rebutted. "Only point her in the right direction."
With that, Alastor began walking towards the gate.
"If thou truly wants to gain her trust, thou must giveth her time," Zestial advised. "Terra does not trust easily. She shares that with thee. She also shares thy ability to suspect motives."
Alastor turned around on his heels, "Are you questioning my motives? I told you already that I only wished to protect her and take care of her. I do not need to explain myself to you further."
"Perhaps not, but I feel that thou shouldst know that I hath promised to the maiden to be there for her always," Zestial warned. "Should she ever call on me for my aid, I will be there to help. If I suspect that she hath need of my aid, I shall be there to help her."
"I'll keep that in mind," Alastor said, turning to walk away again.
"I'm glad we share an understanding," Zestial replied, turning to leave.
Alastor was about to leave, but he changed his mind to ask some final questions.
"Wait," said Alastor, prompting Zestial to turn back around. "I need to know. What is she like? Do she and I have anything else in common?"
Zestial answered, "Terra hath thy intelligence and thy musical talents. She has learned from university and her separate studies. She and I have spent many an hour in intellectual discussion and entertaining me with her singing or her playing on the piano. Terra also shares thy wit and thy cunning. She hath fooled many a foe who erred in underestimating her. In terms of magic, Terra hath strength similar to thine own. She hath spent many a year in growing it without purchasing souls. Her demeanor reminds me of thine. When outsmarting a foe, there is a confident glimmer in her eye that reminds me of thine. But thou differ everywhere else. She hath thy confidence without thy arrogance. Her heart has a nobility that thou lacks. She hath a strong disdain for those who gain power through wicked means."
Alastor smiled a genuine smile for once. "If what you're saying is true, she's even better than I hoped. I simply have to meet her."
Alastor turned and started walking away.
"If I may speak plainly, Terra hath never known thee as a father," warned Zestial. "She hath another man as her father on earth. She hath looked up to other men down here. Thou art not one of them. Terra hath known thee only as a boogeyman. Thou wilt not be able to gain her trust easily and I shall intervene if thou force it."
Alastor turned around once more and snapped, "If I may be frank, Zestial, neither you nor that bastard who stole my bride are her real fathers. I am. I always have been. I only wasn't there for my daughter before because I was separated from her. First by another man, then by death, and then by you and whoever else kept her from me. I fully intend to take my rightful place now. There's nothing I can do to stop you from intervening in her life, but I do advise you to not try to hide her from me again. I don't intend on losing her twice."
"I shall keep thy words in mind as you shall no doubt keep my words in yours, Alastor," promised Zestial.
Alastor smiled widely and teleported away into his shadows.
Zestial took the phone Terra gave him out of his pocket and started slowly figuring out how to text her.