Evenstar (53 page)

The two disappeared.
 
Whitney found herself on the surface with Thanatos and Aita.
 
All around them, the song moved and flowed.
 
Instead of a cacophony of destruction, it was a beautiful melody.
 
Whitney swayed, transfixed by the notes.
 

Aita smiled and took her hand, bringing her out of it.
 
The three traversed the wasteland that formed in the wake of the song.
 
They searched for the whispers of undeath and found Lilliam. Wraiths and ghouls got up from cells where elves, dryads, and nymphs had lain before.
 
Whitney saw more like herself, the pale, wispy wailers, the banshee.
 
Thanatos and Aita welcomed them.
 
The undead Lilliam were dazed, but understood the shift.
 
They flocked to Whitney, one of their own and she realized what she was there for, reassurance.
 

Thanatos teleported the newly undead to the City, leaving Whitney and Aita to search for more in a Solomon Soldier compound.

Whitney gazed at Aita.
 
“I’m dead, aren’t I.”

He nodded.
 
“Yes, all in my line are dead.”

She held her head.
 
“I don’t remember dying.”

He unlocked the door to a cellblock.
 
“That is common for one like you.”

“Like me?”

“There are a rare few Lilliam naturally born in our family of the undead and undying, you are one.
 
Our kind live a natural life until death comes as a transition to your full self.
 
Your death is not a death that you have known with humans.
 
When the undeath comes, it takes hold and the change is instant.”

“Oh…”

“You gave up your first life in a panic to save those that you love, this is not uncommon.”
 
He looked into her dark eyes.
 
“There is nothing wrong with the undeath, little daughter.
 
Many of my kind have been destroyed.
 
I had no more natural born banshee before you returned to us.”
 
He smiled.
 
“Now you have many more sisters and brothers.
 
They will look up to you for guidance.”

Whitney balked.
 
“But I was human all my life!
 
I mean, I lived human.
 
They always had magic and pointy ears and wings!
 
Why would they look up to me?
 
I don’t even know anything about being a banshee.”

He shook his head and smiled.
 
“None of that matters when Lilliam pass into my family, it is a different experience.
 
Our kind sees the world differently.
 
You hear a melody in the death song while others know only pain and loss.
 
You have sung the song of death yourself.”

She looked at the empty cells.
 
“Would they have always become undead?”

He shook his head as Thanatos reappeared.
 
“No, an occurrence like this is unprecedented.
 
The dirge of Lucifer has transformed them.
 
As I said, we the
naturally
dead are rare, few, and dwindling.
 
Sad though it is, this event is a boon for our family.”

Whitney stared at her hands.
 
“Why was no one else brought to the surface?”

Thanatos smiled at her.
 
“You have a sweet demeanor.”

Aita smiled.
 
“And it is day.
 
Vampires, the medusa, ghouls, wraiths, and hellhounds cannot stand the daylight.
 
In that you are rarer even among the rare.”

Whitney gaped.
 
“
Vampires
?
 
Vampires are
real
?”

“We will introduce you in good time.
 
Come, we have others to collect.”
 
The three vanished from the room.
   

Entire cities were emptied, laid to waste.
 
Plants withered and died, animals fled before the wave of death, creating stampedes into the neighboring states.
 
Life abandoned Tennessee.
 
The sound struck Knoxville, Atlanta, and raced towards Memphis and Indianapolis.
 

In the City, the Sanctuary and the room beyond pulsed with red energy.
 
Gaea gritted her teeth and pushed.
 
The force bumped up against the shield.
 
The shield recognized its light and the veil parted.
 
Gaea plunged through and poured the energy into the two on the slab.
 
They began to heal.
 
The small cuts sealed first.
 

Paimon felt the change.
 
“She has enough to break through!”

Lucifer ceased playing and clapped his hands on the strings to stop all sound from the violin.
 
He took a deep breath, glad to be done.

Paimon passed out and hit the ground with a thud.
 

Lucifer bent down.
 
He set the violin on Paimon’s chest and lifted Paimon and the violin into his arms.
 
He stood up and gazed out at the wrecked field.

Paimon stirred in Lucifer’s arms.
 
The violin flashed on his chest and sank beneath the surface of his skin.
 
A streak of his auburn hair turned silver as his body absorbed the song.
 
He shuddered in his sleep.
 

Lucifer stared at the change in horror.
 
He scraped at Paimon’s chest, but the violin was gone.
 
He put his ear to Paimon.
 
Music played inside him.
 
Lucifer paled.
 
“
Fuck
.
 
Fuck
.”
 

Paimon opened his eyes and blinked.
 
He frowned and squirmed until Lucifer set him down.
 
He stood on his own, teddy bear in hand.
 
He picked up his camera and dusted it off.
 
He looked up at Lucifer.
 
His eyes were midnight blue, nearly black.
 
“I drank too much earlier, I feel like shit.
 
You’re still horny.
 
I think I have to puke.”

Lucifer shook out his head and his horns disappeared.
 
“I am quite sorry, Paimon.
 
Your body seems to have eaten the song.”

“Don’t fuck with my head right now.”
 
Paimon touched his chest.
 
“I don’t feel well.”

“I am not fucking with your head right now.”

Paimon glared at him.
 
“You’re
kidding
.”

Lucifer shook his head.
 
“Try to grow something.”

Paimon looked around and touched the withered grass.
 
He focused.
 
Nothing happened.
 
He stared at his hands and concentrated.
 
“I can’t.”
 
He ground his teeth and tried harder.
 
A melody seeped out of his skin.
 
The ground around him dissolved.

Lucifer clapped his hand over Paimon’s mouth.
 
“Stop.”

Paimon stopped.
 
He glared at Lucifer and spoke through his hand, “You piece of
shit
.
 
You fucking
shit
!”

Lucifer paled.
 
“I did not know that would happen.”

“You fucking
fuck
!
 
Fuck!”
 
Paimon punched him in the sternum.
 
“Why did you put that
song
in
me
?”

Lucifer balked.
 
“I had to carry you and my hands were full.”

“So you put the
incarnate form of destruction on my chest
!
 
You are a fucking dumbass sometimes!
 
You are going to get this out of me
now
!
 
Get it out!”

Lucifer frowned.
 
“I do not know how to summon it without it playing uncontrolled.
 
It would destroy everything if set loose.”

Thanatos, Aita, and Whitney appeared.
 
Whitney pointed at Paimon.
 
“He is death inside!”

Thanatos looked over at Paimon.
 
“How did—”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”
 
Paimon scowled.
 

Thanatos nodded, opened a portal, and they returned to the City.

***

Furcas and Dahlia’s consciousnesses were carried along as the angels transitioned to Heaven.

The vastness of angels crowded through the Hall of the Throne.
 
This event was unprecedented.
 
Angels of all kinds leaned forward to catch a glimpse of their Primangels.
 
As Ladriam appeared, the angels were transfixed.
 
She stood wreathed in halos of silver and obsidian, her form in Heaven appearing far more intense than in the regular universe.
 
She stared at the changes as numbers and patterns rose and faded across her skin.
 
At her feet, light solidified into glass, spreading outward, morphing into copper tile and marble foundation that wove through the firmament.
 
Only Paimon noticed the change.

Lucifer gazed at her.
 
Each change made her lovelier than before.
 
He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
 
The area went silent as angels could only stare.
 
White and red flamed up on the throne.
 
Lucifer looked towards the throne; he pointed.
 
“He resides.”

Ladriam raised her eyes to the throne and quailed.
 
The same burning fire she remembered from Hell wreathed itself around a white pillar.
 
The presence burned with anger that no one else noticed.
 
It scorched her skin as if she stood in the flame itself.
 

Lucifer noticed her shaking.
 
“The appearance is quite magnificent.
 
Did it appear as such in Hell?”

LADRIAM.

All were laid low by the voice.
 
Lucifer and Ladriam held hands and remained standing with no one between them and the throne.
 
The Archangels stayed behind them, on their knees.
 
Ladriam and Lucifer waited in silence.

LADRIAM, YOU SHARED WITH ANOTHER THE GIFT I GAVE TO YOU.
 
THE GIFT THAT WAS FOR US.
 
YOU AND I, NOT FOR ANOTHER, NEVER FOR ANOTHER, YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME.

“I did not know.”

LADRIAM, COME FORWARD.

Ladriam walked forward.
 
Lucifer came with her.
 

The fire on the throne roiled.
 
LUCIFER, STAY BACK.

Lucifer obeyed and stepped back.

Ladriam shook, but stood tall, trying to mask her fear.
 
“I did not comprehend the purpose of the—”

WHY SHOULD YOU?
 
NONE OF THEM EVER QUESTIONS MY DECISIONS, ONLY YOU QUESTION.
 
I GAVE YOU MUCH, YET YOU QUESTION STILL.
 
YOU SHARED WHAT SHOULD NEVER BE SHARED AND YOU HAVE BECOME LESS AS A RESULT.

She frowned.
 
“What did I share?”

The fire swept down to circle Ladriam.
 
She froze as it cut her off from the others.

YOU SHARED
YOURSELF
WITH HIM.

The flame consumed her.
 
Ladriam saw herself with Lucifer, embracing many times over.
 
She clutched at her skin.
 
The touches that had been pleasure turned to cold nausea as He relentlessly showed her each time.
 
The message clear, His words made sure she understood.
  

YOU BETRAYED ME, LADRIAM.
 
YOU JOINED WITH ANOTHER, NOT AS PURE, NOT AS GOOD, NOT AS CLEAN.
 
YOU HAVE RUINED YOURSELF, YOUR NATURE.
 
YOU ARE MINE, MADE BY ME FOR ME AND ME ALONE.
 
YOU WERE TO JOIN WITH ME, TO RETURN ONCE A BODY YOU HAD BEEN GIVEN, BUT NO LONGER, YOU HAVE LOST YOUR PURPOSE, LOST YOUR RIGHT TO BE.
 
YOU ARE RUINED FOREVER.

Ladriam frowned.
 
“You are jealous.”

SILENCE!

Dahlia!

Dahlia shook.
 
What, Furcas?

We did not hear or see this.
 
Not even Lucifer heard this dialogue.
 
We were made deaf to it.
 
This is new.

The fire returned to the throne.
 
Ladriam stepped back, dizzy.
 
Lucifer went to catch her.

TOUCH HER NO MORE, LUCIFER.

Lucifer stepped back and let her stumble.
 
Ladriam looked at Lucifer and then back at Him.
 
“I did not know that was my purpose!”

GUILTY REGARDLESS, PROOF BEFORE US.
 
LUCIFER, DID SHE SPEAK MY NAME?

Lucifer looked between Ladriam and Him.
 
“Yes.”

THEN SHE IS GUILTY.
 
HOW MANY HEARD?

“Just her and I.”

EVEN SO.
 

Fire erupted outwards and brushed them all.
 
His name was ripped from their memories.
 
The place burned and blackened so that even if heard, they would not be able to remember.
 
The fire died and they were left with no memory of the syllables.

LADRIAM, BLASPHEMER, BETRAYER, SPEAKER OF WHAT CANNOT BE SAID.

Ladriam looked at the others.
 
“No!
 
That is not my crime!”
 
She turned back to the throne.
 
“That is not what you said to me alone!
 
You said I—”