The Fantasy Trove

 Shelly continues after Jessica, hoping to stop her before she kills a deity.

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Chapter 29

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Shelly knew the deserts in the Middle East. She’d seen wealthy countries with ugly landscapes. She remembered training with her brother in stark vistas, and ugly climates. Discounting the Pillar of Darkness’s demesne, which only the devil knew the landscape of, she couldn’t think of an area she disliked more than the one she walked through now. Even Antarctica held it’s own beauty and more color than the lands controlled by the Pillar of Light.

 

It didn’t help that she remembered what happened the last time she was here. If she ever got her hands on Amenadiel, he’d find out that Heaven couldn’t save him from a scorned woman’s fury.

 

Aecus raped her body and willpower, but it was the angel that raped her soul, taking with him something she’d taken for granted. Sure, he took her guilt, and for a moment, she’d felt relief after finding out what Jessica did to her family and the torment Aecus put her through. That relief was short-lived. The angel left a hole in her soul that cried out demands impossible to ignore. The drive to be entertained without restraint suffused her, and the lack of guilt meant that anything went. But nothing satisfied her.

 

Shelly glanced over her shoulder at Sonia as they trudged through the washed-out landscape. All color, including themselves, was muted in the soft white light. The Rocs were left behind, so Sonia’s and her approach wouldn’t be as apparent if they managed to sneak up on Jessica.

 

Sonia was the one to return Shelly’s mentality to herself after Amenadiel’s insidious meddling.

 

“I don’t think I ever properly thanked you,” Shelly said, slowing to let the android catch up. Sonia’s eyes revealed a combination of suspicion and curiosity. Is she aware of her facial expressions, or are they all algorithms that operate beneath her notice? Or is it the bit of my soul inside her that allows her to act like a real person? Shelly grimaced and shook the terrible thought from her head. Sonia was a real person, regardless of her origin. Seeing the other woman’s suspicion deepen into a frown, Shelly spoke up. “I mean for everything you’ve done for me. You killed Aecus in cold blood. You saved me—the real me—after that angel took part of my soul. Despite everything and how poorly I’ve treated you, you’re sticking with me. I wanted to make sure you knew how thankful I am.”

 

Sonia stopped walking and regarded her for an uncomfortable moment. She didn’t say anything but continued to stare. Shelly knew how fast the woman could think, making her prolonged silence feel even worse.

 

“You’re a real bitch,” Sonia said right before Shelly lost her temper. The statement made in an off-hand manner set Shelly’s mind stumbling. She knew she’d mistreated the other woman, and knew she deserved the comment, but Sonia acted as if she didn’t care about what she said. “You treat me like a second-hand citizen, a fill-in for someone who has more screws loose in her head than I have in my whole body, then you get all clingy before we come face-to-face with her. You can quit thanking me, too. I’m sick of hearing it from you. I’m doing my duty, and no more.”

 

Every word acted as a blade slipping between Shelly’s ribs and into her heart. Tears formed in her eyes, but she blinked them away as she worked to keep her emotions under her control. She knew she deserved the sentiment, if not necessarily the callous way it was delivered.

 

“I deserve that,” Shelly said, proud of how level her voice remained. Only the slightest quiver marred her words. “I’ve apologized for how I’ve treated you. I meant it then, and I still do. I know I hurt you, and I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but that won’t stop me from trying anyway. I said what I did a moment ago to let you know that I do appreciate you and everything you’ve done. I’m not trying to win you back, but I am trying to make up for my mistakes.”

 

This time her response was immediate. “I am following orders. Nothing more.”

 

Shelly ground her teeth and shook her head. “In that case, thank you for having such a strong dedication to duty.”

 

For the barest moment, Shelly thought she saw surprise in Sonia’s bright green eyes. It vanished as soon as it showed, and she stared hard into Shelly’s eyes before shrugging and saying, “Huh.”

 

“Queen’s Mother!” A sudden shout interrupted them from continuing the conversation. Shelly grimaced, but then remembered her daughter. How had she forgotten about Rain? No, she knew that wasn’t right. She hadn’t forgotten about Rain but instead recognized the infant was in safe hands, allowing her to focus on their current task.

 

That one shout shattered the mental walls she’d unknowingly created. As if on cue, she felt her breasts leak into her bra. She felt disgusting.

 

“Is everything all right?” She tried to find common ground between shouting to be heard, and whispering to keep their position from being revealed, should another angel or Jessica be near. She looked across the bleak landscape, and it took a moment to spot Nanny. With her body made up of every type of ant queen, she blended into the dull background. Even Nanny’s colors dulled here, and if anything, it made her appear more alien with her giant ant body, humanoid face, and mandibles.

 

“Our Queen has missed you,” Nanny’s back four legs flowed over the muted ground with fantastic speed, but she was too loud for Shelly’s liking.

 

Shelly placed a finger over her mouth, indicating the strange woman needed to be quieter. Nanny’s head tilted, then looked around. Her voice lowered despite her next words. “There are no living beings worth worrying over within hearing range.”

 

“What about dead beings?” Shelly hissed, while wondering how the ant-thing knew.

 

“There is a secondary pocket dimension in the center of these lands where the spirits of past creatures go after death,” Nanny said in tones that bordered between respect and teaching little children. “Rarely does one ever escape.”

 

Shelly didn’t see how that made any sense. The Pillar of Light’s area split into four parts, separated by the Pillar of Darkness’s demesne. If there were a center, it would be inside Darkness, not Light.

 

She’d have to ask some other time, though. She took Rain from the amalgamated ant creature just as she started to fuss. Despite being less than a week old, Shelly saw intelligence in her multi-colored eyes. Was that Nanny’s influence on her daughter, or because of what she was? Rain didn’t speak beyond normal baby noises, but Nanny always knew what she was feeling or thinking.

 

Tiny hands grasped at Shelly’s shirt, and the mother lifted it enough to reveal one breast. Rain latched onto the stiff nipple, and Shelly felt immediate relief as her daughter worked on her next meal.

 

Something dragged her attention up from her daughter’s mesmerizing eyes, and she realized that Sonia and Nanny were talking. Sonia’s stance showed that she still didn’t trust the Myrmidon woman, while Nanny’s displayed indifference to the android.

 

“What did you just say?” Shelly asked, stepping between the two women and facing Nanny. She had to look up at the taller creature, which annoyed her a little but was more interested in hearing what she missed.

 

Nanny’s body shifted, the multi-hued ants shifting around to add more weight to the thorax, and lowering her height. Shelly didn’t know if the other woman read her mind, but at least she was no longer looking up.

 

“I merely followed the Queen’s command to lower myself,” Nanny said, which sent more questions racing through Shelly’s thoughts, but she shoved them down and waited for Nanny to continue. “I was explaining to your soulmate that the person you are looking for is that way, and currently fornicating with the angel, Amenadiel.”

 

There was so much to unpack in that statement that Shelly didn’t know where to begin. “She’s not my… Jessica? With, wait… Amenadiel? Why? How?” Her thoughts tangled one around another as she tried to piece it all together.

 

Sonia’s mind either parsed the information much faster, or her emotions were better controlled.

 

“She’s referring to the fact that we are sharing a portion of your soul,” Sonia said with a sour twist to her lips. “Something she knows better than to bring up.”

 

Shelly grimaced, realizing just how deeply Sonia must hate her now. No wonder the android acted upset when she apologized. It must be tearing her apart to be this close to her. It spoke volumes on how strong Sonia’s sense of duty was.

 

Nanny opened her mouth to say something, but Sonia spoke up before she could.

 

“It would be best if we catch Jessica with her pants down. Hopefully, we can stop and contain her before she does… Before she tries to kill the Pillar of Light.” Sonia glanced in the direction that Nanny indicated Jessica to be. Directly towards the center of Dark’s demesne.

 

Shelly remembered what Nanny said about there being a pocket dimension, or whatever, and wondered how Jessica planned on getting there. Then she realized that the miserable angel, Amenadiel, was with her.

 

Fornicating…

 

She didn’t know what to think of that. She wanted revenge on the angel for what he’d done to her. Jessica wasn’t her family and was technically their enemy, but that didn’t mean she didn’t care for the other woman. Was the angel ravaging her soul as they spoke?

 

A grunt from Rain pulled her attention back to her daughter, and she switched breasts. She couldn’t take Rain into a dangerous situation. She also couldn’t abandon her mission to stop her ex-lover.

 

For a brief moment, Shelly felt overwhelmed. It was all too much. Jessica… Amenadiel… Sonia… Rain… all of her warring emotions, and somehow she was supposed to end this?

 

She didn’t know what she was going to say to Jessica. And Sonia’s obvious distaste for her hurt, despite knowing how much she deserved the scorn. And her daughter… She wasn’t ready to be a mother and didn’t have the proper time to prepare mentally with her rushed pregnancy.

 

“Mghberber,” Rain cooed and patted her chest. Shelly looked down and met Rain’s eyes. Colorful swirls filled her vision, calming her mind, and setting her heartrate to a steadier rhythm.

 

“We should move,” Nanny said, breaking the spell her daughter placed on Shelly. “Jessica is done, and they are moving swiftly. I do not know if we can catch up, but we must leave now if we want to have a chance.”

 

Shelly’s heart hammered in her chest again, and she forgot about her misgivings. What would be, would be, and she would do her best. It was all she could do.

 

Shelly didn’t wait for the others before turning and heading off in the indicated direction.

 

“I will take our Queen,” Nanny said, matching her pace as Sonia rushed out before them. “She will not slow me down and will allow you to move easier. I can also better protect her, should the need arise.”

 

Shelly held her daughter closer to her chest for a moment before acknowledging the truth. Nanny was better equipped to carry and protect Rain. Without slowing down, she handed over her baby. “Protect her,” Shelly stated, knowing the Myrmidon would do it no matter what she said.

 

Nanny took the child. Instead of carrying the infant in her arms, Rain sank into the ant creature’s body. Shelly shuddered but had to acknowledge that this protected Rain the best. It helped that she heard the little one give a pleasant giggle. Even so, Shelly felt an emptiness grow in her at handing over her daughter.

 

They set a steady pace that fell short of a jog but ate up ground faster than a quick walk. Sonia ranged out ahead of them, able to maintain a quicker pace than Shelly. She realized that if not for her, the other two could travel faster and farther without rest. She grimaced and picked up her pace. She’d be damned if Jessica got away because of her weakness. Sweat dripped from her brow as her legs began to burn. She focused on placing one foot in front of the other, eyes locked on Sonia’s back. Despite her efforts, she watched as Sonia moved further away.

 

“The synthetic one is finally far enough away for me to follow our Queen’s commands,” Nanny stated, breaking Shelly’s concentration. Her foot caught a pale root, and she almost landed face-first on the ground. Nanny grabbed her up and began to carry her with the fluid grace that only a creature without bones could manage.

 

She almost demanded to be allowed to walk on her own, but then the words Nanny said sunk in.

 

“What do you mean?” Shelly asked. “What did my daughter ask of you?”

 

“To reveal a truth hidden from you,” Nanny said. Before Shelly could process the words, the various queen ants that comprised the woman’s body flowed out and around her.

 

Images of her time in Aecus’ bed swamped her, and she tried to scream. She felt multiple bites along her exposed skin, as the various queens’ venom began to warm her skin. The ache in her lungs and legs receded as a heavy lethargy suffused her. Her eyelids fell as Nanny swallowed her. Despite her closed eyes, Shelly realized she was able to see.

 

She was no longer in Light’s domain. How long was she out? What happened to her? Where was everyone? Had they stopped Jessica while she slept?

 

Looking around, she found herself back in Gaia’s home, in the room where she’d given birth to Rain.

 

“Mother.” The single word spoken in reverent tones made her spin around in a panic. Where was her daughter?

 

A little girl, no older than five or six, stood in the doorway. Shelly knew without a doubt that it was Rain, not only by the swirling eyes but by a mother’s sense within her that confirmed the identity.

 

“How long…?” She couldn’t finish the sentence. What had happened with Jessica? Had they won? What had Nanny done to her? How old was her daughter now? What had she missed?

 

“Be calm, Mother,” Rain said in a soothing tone. Her voice was similar to Shelly’s mother, Sheila, but with a lighter timber. “The one you call Nanny is still carrying you through the Pillar of Light’s domain while your body recovers. My true body is resting against your chest. There is something you should know before you meet Jessica, though.”

 

“But… You’re just an infant,” Shelly tried to deny what lay before her. She knew that Nanny communicated with Rain, but assumed it was all emotional. Was Nanny translating Rain’s emotions into this illusion? Nothing made any sense.

 

“My mind was accelerated with Nanny’s and Gaia’s help, but my body does not yet have the coordination to speak,” Rain read her mind, then answered her next question before Shelly could think it. “Yes, I can see into your mind and understand your emotions, even here in my Mens Mundi. Please, relax, Mother. Despite who my father was, I intend you no harm. I do not yet have enough experience to claim I love you, but I understand that you want what is best for me, and so I wish the same for you. No, please. We don’t have much time, and I desire that you have knowledge kept from you.”

 

Shelly wanted to speak. There were a million things that flit through her mind to say to her daughter, but she understood the need to listen when required. Besides, Shelly knew her daughter could see all those questions, but the look in those alien eyes said that whatever this information was, it was of higher importance. She nodded as she wondered what other of life’s mysteries she was about to learn.

 

“Sonia does not hate you as you suspect,” Rain said as she stepped forward and took her mother’s hands. Shelly dropped down to her knees to be on the same level as Rain. “She resents you, but not for the reasons you believe.”

 

Shelly opened her mouth to argue but shut it at the look in Rain’s eyes. What other reason could Sonia have for resenting her? And if Rain didn’t have enough experience to know if she loved her own mother, how could she understand Sonia’s emotions? Shelly didn’t want to dwell on the fact that her infant daughter might not love her. For that matter, how could she understand anything about the android, whose synthetic mind couldn’t be read?

 

“When Sonia shared the portion of your soul that you shared with her before, it created a link between you. Should she get too far away, it will strain that link. In time, you may be able to separate without harm as your joined soul grows and recovers from the trauma caused by the angel. The link is too fresh, and the wounds too new right now. That is why Sonia stays with you. To keep you whole and sane.”

 

“Like a fairy?” Shelly asked before she could stop herself.

 

“Except that a fairy can never recover, as you can,” Rain answered.

 

Shelly’s heart plummetted at this news. Wasn’t she recovered from Amenadiel ravaging her psyche? That meant Sonia’s sense of duty forced her to stay near. No wonder the android treated her so poorly. She knew she deserved the treatment for her past sins, but to know that she was further torturing the other woman tore at her heart. Then, before the next thought could form, Rain answered her unasked question.

 

“I know because Nanny knows. Our servants overheard Gaia speaking with Sonia and Areth while you recovered from delivering me. The fairy sensed the connection as she is sensitive to such things. She didn’t know what the consequences would be if you separated, but Gaia surmised that you would die should Sonia move too far away. Your soul is too tattered and worn from what you suffered. Your mind won’t revert to what it was after Amenadiel’s tampering. Gaia and Areth believe that you can be a few kilometers, or almost two miles, from one another before it’s too far, but the further she gets, the weaker you’ll be.”

 

“Why are you telling me this?” Shelly asked before the thought could fully form in her mind. As if she didn’t have enough weighing her down, Rain and Nanny had to throw this emotional bomb onto her shoulders?

 

“The future is uncertain,” Rain told her with a calm demeanor far too old for her countenance. Rain acted and spoke much older than her appearance of a young child could account for, and Shelly wondered if she were talking to an amalgamation of Rain and Nanny. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t infer information. You will likely face Jessica, and because of your past, you may feel tempted to join her. Nanny and I felt you should have as much knowledge as possible before making that decision. You should also know that while I must ensure that the ants of both worlds continue to nurture the ground, move seeds, and everything my servants do to assist Gaia, you will always be my mother. I will not judge you for your actions, nor what was done to you. I want to get to know you as my mother, and not just the woman who was forced to give birth to me.”

 

Shelly’s head swam as the room around her faded with Rain’s parting words: words far too mature for one so young. She tried to speak, but her lips wouldn’t move. Panic wanted to overwhelm her, but her daughter’s next words calmed her, despite their severity.

 

“I hope to talk to you again when this is over.”

 

Shelly blinked as bright light washed over her. They were still moving, though she couldn’t move anything below her neck. Looking around as the washed-out world came into focus, she realized that her body still resided within Nanny, her head poking out between the Myrmidon’s breasts. Speaking of which, she felt Rain’s reassuring presence suckling at her chest, though there was little milk for the infant.

 

“You’re awake,” Sonia said with a grimace. The android was now at a full-on run, with Nanny keeping pace.

 

Shelly regarded her for a moment, understanding a little more of Sonia’s attitude now that she understood the stakes. She wondered what would happen to Sonia should Shelly die.

 

“The Earth Mother surmises that the portion of your shared soul within her would wither and die,” Nanny’s voice said into her ear, too quiet for even Sonia to hear. “Her synthetic systems would continue to function, but she would no longer be the woman she is now.”

 

Wouldn’t she want that? Shelly wondered, remembering how distraught the other woman was when her emotions went outside her diagnostic software to understand or define. The answer occurred to her even as she asked the question. The Sonia moving quickly in front of them was not the same android assigned to protect them. She didn’t want to give up what she’d gained even if that meant staying with Shelly.

 

She felt warm at the thought, and once again cursed her past self for her selfish behavior and taking advantage of Sonia’s heart.

 

“I know you don’t want to hear it,” Shelly said loud enough for Sonia to hear, knowing that the android had superior hearing, “but thank you again for everything you’ve done and everything you’re doing, Sonia.”

 

Sonia glared at her, then at Nanny, before facing forward and continuing to run. For a long moment, Shelly thought she wouldn’t reply. When she did, it wasn’t what she expected.

 

“I’m getting tired of hearing that from you. Thank me after we’ve taken care of Jessica, or whatever it is in her head controlling her. Maybe then I’ll be willing to accept all of this.”

 

They ran on in relative silence for several more minutes. Shelly couldn’t begin to imagine anything she could say that would salve the wounds she’d caused to their relationship. Perhaps it’d be best she didn’t? When her soul recovered enough, wouldn’t it be best to let Sonia go her own way?

 

“We are approaching the barrier,” Nanny intoned loud enough for everyone to hear. “I must release a third of my mass if I am to continue with you.”

 

Without ceremony, Shelly found herself back on her feet and stumbled as she tried to find her balance. At least she could move on her own again.

 

“It would be best if you took Rain somewhere safe,” Sonia said, folding her arms under her breasts. “We don’t know what awaits us on the other side. I can’t condone taking an infant into a possible battle.”

 

“Our queen will not come to harm while I am with her,” Nanny replied as though stating incontrovertible truth.

 

“And where were you when your previous queen took a shot to the head?” Sonia demanded, her anger rising.

 

Considering that Sonia was the one to kill Aecus, and how the last disagreement between these two went, it was a bold statement from the android.

 

“We were not ordered to protect the previous queen when you killed her,” Nanny stated with calm. “We were ordered away from her room while she conditioned the Queen’s Mother. Had we been there, you would never have reached Queen Aecus.”

 

It still seemed weird to Shelly that the person she’d always known as King Aecus was Queen Aecus to the Myrmidons. Ant politics was the least of her concerns for now, though.

 

“Why do you have to reduce your mass?” Shelly interrupted before another pointless fight could break out. “And could that portion protect Rain?”

 

Nanny faced her, regarding her with a tilted head. “We are equal parts aligned with the Pillar of Darkness, the Pillar of Light, and the Pillar of Earth. That part of me that aligns with Darkness cannot penetrate the barrier into what mortals consider to be Heaven.”

 

“Heaven?!” Shelly gasped. “That’s where Jessica is going?”

 

“Can we get through the barrier?” Sonia asked, remaining logical. “How can Jessica? Isn’t she technically evil?”

 

Shelly wanted to argue that Jessica wasn’t evil, but the other being in her mind was. Instead, she remained quiet, awaiting the answer.

 

“We do not know,” Nanny said after a moment. “However, it may be that the angel’s presence will allow her to enter. It could also be that the entity inside her is too alien to be considered part of any alignment. Either way, the point is moot as they’ve already entered.”

 

“This isn’t some Dungeons and Dragons game were playing,” Shelly heard Sonia mutter.

 

Shelly’s heart rate spiked as panic set in. Were they too late? No, they couldn’t be. The death of a pillar was drastic and couldn’t be missed. They had time but needed to catch up.

 

“Can you get us through the barrier?” Shelly asked. She worried about taking Rain with them, but also didn’t like the idea of leaving her child with the evil portion of Nanny. If the better fraction of the Myrmidon caretaker could protect her, then she would trust to that. And if they failed, their entire existence could end. No one was certain what would happen should another original Pillar fall—especially not the very Pillar that created all of this ordered existence.

 

“Worry not for your daughter,” Nanny said, reading her mind. “Even should our darker third take her, we are all sworn and dedicated to protecting her. We would not corrupt or change who she is. And even though we might go into battle, she would be better protected with the more significant portion of us. There will be no argument since it is our queen’s request to stay near her mother.”

 

Sonia said something under her breath that Shelly suspected was better not heard before raising her voice. “Then we are wasting time standing here. Do whatever you have to do, and let’s go.”

 

Without any ceremony, Nanny’s thorax dropped to the ground and scattered in all directions. It was a bit disconcerting, all things considered, to now see Nanny standing with four arms, and still the ever-shifting surface. Instead of having arms like Mandy’s where both sets sprouted from around the shoulders, Nanny’s lower arms protruded from the area closest associated with her waist. Rain resided somewhere in there, but not visible.

 

Nanny didn’t wait anymore before stepping forward and placing her four hands against the open air. Pearly, iridescent light spread from her hands, quickly defining a wall that spread out in all directions.

 

“The Pearly Gates,” Sonia whispered, a note of awe in her voice.

 

“I didn’t know you were religious,” Shelly said, surprised by the woman’s change in attitude.

 

“I’m not,” Sonia shook her head. “But on an academic note, this is fascinating.”

 

“These are not the gates,” Nanny informed them. “The angel you call Saint Peter guards them, allowing souls deemed worthy of passing through. He does not approve of the living to enter, so we will slip through here. Take ahold of me so that we may press on.”

 

Shelly spared a glance at Sonia, noticing her grimace before doing as asked. As soon as her hand touched the squirming, wriggling pseudo-flesh, the iridescent light warped, surrounding them.

 

Shelly felt an instant of terror before being swept away.

 

 

*    *    *    *

 

 

“That was…” Jessica searched for the right words to use. “Unique.”

 

“The light of heaven is a balm to any soul,” Amenadiel beamed at her. “Though, I admit that the pleasure you showed me before almost compares.”

 

“Almost?” Jessica asked, feeling her ire rise. She stamped down her irritation before it could derail her plans. “You’ve got a lot to learn if you want to get that feeling again. More importantly, where can we find the Pillar?”

 

The angel’s mouth worked silently for a few moments as he regarded her before finding his voice. “God Almighty is all around. She is the air we breathe, the ground we tread upon, the very light that graces us, the—”

 

“Stop,” Jessica cut him off with a command and wave of her hand. Despite her control over him, she felt him resist before acquiescing. She took a moment to control her breathing before moving on. She sincerely hoped he spoke in metaphors, and not literally. Jessica had no idea how she would kill the Pillar of Light if the being made up this place.

 

Taking a moment to look around, she was glad to see color returned to the world. It almost hurt her eyes with how vibrant everything looked after so long in the other realm.

 

“I want to talk to her,” Jessica said and started walking. Any direction seemed as good as another until told otherwise. “How do I get an audience?”

 

“You can pray,” Amenadiel said, floating along beside her. His broad white wings moved with a lazy rhythm that told her he didn’t need them for flight. “But she hasn’t responded to prayers in centuries.”

 

“Any idea why she hasn’t responded?” Jessica asked, her curiosity piqued.

 

“I am not wise enough to understand her ways,” Amenadiel quipped as though his ignorance were something to be proud of feeling.

 

“Guess,” Jessica commanded him.

 

The angel floated alongside her for a few silent moments before saying, “Some think she has turned away from humanity for its treatment of other races and their own. Some believe she is seeking a higher level of enlightenment; to create an even better world for all the righteous to inhabit. I can only say that I don’t know.”

 

Jessica’s fists balled up as she ground her teeth. If she didn’t need this fool, she’d tuck him away and forget about him. How could anyone be so dense? Much less one that was as powerful as him?

 

“I want to be able to see her and speak directly with her.” She decided to go back to her original query. Despite her words, she prayed for patience. She allowed the soothing atmosphere to penetrate her mind, bolstering her fraying nerves.

 

“That’s…” he trailed off, and something in his voice made her look at him. She saw fear in his eyes as he refused to meet her gaze. “Wouldn’t you rather lay here with me? Enjoy the soft light, and we can play as we did before.”

 

Despite everything, she was tempted. Everything around her felt so comfortable. How easy would it be to lose herself in his arms, feeling his lips pressed against hers, his throbbing cock stretching and sliding deep into her? She had time, didn’t she? What was the rush?

 

No! She couldn’t lose focus here. Once done, she could relax and indulge, but not until then.

 

“Tell me where or how to find her, or I swear to… I swear, I will send you away,” she ordered, throwing every ounce of her willpower behind the words.

 

She felt his willpower battle her own as he spoke. “You will be destroyed,” he argued through halting speech. “You must be translated, or her mere presence will be too much for you to handle.”

 

“I’ve faced Pillars before,” Jessica argued. “Hel—” she cut off, unable to even say the word. “Heck, my mother is the Pillar of Fire. I think I can handle seeing another Pillar.”

 

“It’s not the same,” Amenadiel continued to thwart her, his voice growing firmer. “Even us angels must go through preparations before speaking to her.”

 

Jessica paused as she considered that. Her willpower was enough to overpower the angel, but if he needed to go through translation—whatever that meant—then she would be a fool not to take precautions.

 

“Fine,” she conceded, turning to face him. She reached out, grabbed his hands, and brought his face closer to hers. She offered her best smile as hope lit his gaze. “What do I need to do to be translated, or whatever? Do I need to learn a new language?”

 

“Language?” he asked, shaking his head. “It is not your words, but your being that needs to be translated.”

 

“Okay…” Jessica held onto her anger by a thread as she kept her voice sickly sweet. “How do I do that?”

 

“Usually, it involves fasting and praying, followed by… Um, but I can see you want a quicker route. I will take you to a spring where you can wash and prepare.”

 

Without waiting for a response, Amenadiel turned and floated away, though he kept one hand holding hers.

 

Something felt off. Looking around, it took her a moment to put her finger on it. “Where is everyone,” she asked. “If this is truly Heaven, shouldn’t there be millions of souls wandering around?”

 

The angel didn’t slow as he answered her. “Souls may only interact with close family. Or if there is a specific one you’re looking for, you can call out to them. They are all around us, but invisible. They are just as unaware of us, as long as we don’t call to them.”

 

Jessica shivered at the thought that so many unseen eyes could be watching her right then. But if she understood Amenadiel, then they shouldn’t be aware of her, unless they were close family. She didn’t even know who that might be. The only family she knew was her mom. Shelly and Sheldon didn’t know she was their half-sister, and Lyden didn’t realize he was her father, but they were all alive. She didn’t know anyone beyond them.

 

The sound of running water reached her ears, and Jessica stopped in her tracks. She recognized this spring after a moment. It was the same one that Shelly and her fooled around in what felt like forever ago, minus all the fairies. But that was in the Pillar of Earth’s domain. Why did she see it here?

 

“How is this here?” Jessica asked, trying to control herself. She remembered the way Shelly’s hands caressed her. The way her lips felt against her own. The way the water felt cool, but inviting, soothing the burns caused by the Myrmidon that Jessica summoned to attract Shelly’s attention.

 

“Heaven is a place where you get to experience or relive your best memories,” Amenadiel replied, understanding her real question, though she’d worded it poorly. “The pool of water exists, but how it appears to each person will vary depending on their own experiences. You can also create new ones with those you enjoy—”

 

“I’m going to stop you right there,” Jessica snapped. “If you brought me here hoping to fu—have sex, I’m going to be really upset.” Having her words cut short against her will was getting annoying.

 

“I wouldn’t mind dallying, but here I can baptize you,” he told her in solemn tones.

 

“And then I’ll be able to meet the Pillar?” she asked. Barely waiting for his nod, she began to strip off her clothes.

 

“What is it about you that drives me to want to sin?” Amenadiel asked under his breath, but Jessica heard it anyway.

 

“Tell you what,” Jessica said, meeting his brilliant blue eyes, “once we’re done with my business here, I’ll let you sin all over my body again and again.”

 

For some reason she didn’t understand, he looked sad as he shook his head. She’d expected him to jump at the opportunity, based on his behavior.

 

“I’m afraid you’ll no longer be interested in such things after this.”

 

Before she had a chance to ask him what he meant, the water in the pool swept up like a giant arm and surrounded her. Her feet left the ground as the water carried her into the pool.

 

She hadn’t had a chance to take a breath, and soon her lungs began to burn. She kicked and tried to swim, but all in vain. Through the churning water, she made out the form of the angel hovering above the surface, just out of reach. She couldn’t speak to order him to release her. She knew it was his power keeping her under the surface. If she could just put a finger on him, she’d regain control, but he remained out of reach.

 

The water slowly turned dark as her oxygen ran low. She felt her muscles growing weaker even as her panic intensified. She was going to die. The irony that it was going to occur in Heaven didn’t escape her.

 

After everything she’d endured. All the pain, loneliness, heartache, and sacrifices to make the world a better place, her death would be quiet and alone, except for her murderer. A small part of her knew that she deserved this. She’d killed and hurt others. Lied to further her own ends. That it was all justified and would lead to the fulfillment of her dreams didn’t negate her actions.

 

She had her regrets. She’d never gotten to know her father. Things may not have gone the way she’d initially thought with Sheldon, or even Shelly, but she didn’t regret her time with them.

 

Her biggest regret, though, was that her mother would never see the world she wanted to create. A world that wasn’t separated. One in which her mother could relax and have more freedom, where Jessica could prove that she wasn’t evil. A world where the different races could live together. The real boundaries that separated them created an imaginary divide that allowed hate and prejudice to thrive. Only once they were forced to live in the same world once more could there ever be a chance for peace.

 

Light thrummed behind her eyelids as fire raced up her throat. Her stomach lurched, expelling water and forcing her to cough. She tried to look around for Amenadiel, but before she could focus, his hand rested against her forehead.

 

Calm. Peace. Pleasure. Joy. Bliss. Laughter. Soothing tranquility. Every positive emotion and feeling swept through her at once, washing away who she was and allowing her to be reborn.

 

It lasted forever in an eyeblink. Tears fell from Jessica’s eyes at the loss of the incredible sensations. She felt empty inside, craving more.

 

“Bring it back,” she gasped. “Please! Bring it back.” She recalled him saying that sex was almost as good as that feeling. If he truly felt that way, then he received more pleasure from the act than she ever had. What she’d just experienced was beyond words to describe.

 

“Afterwards, I will do for you what I can,” Amenadiel said. His voice told her he was close. It took her a moment to look past the emptiness inside to realize he held her against his chest, slowly rocking her. No wonder he’d thought she wouldn’t want to fornicate again after that. All the pain and terror before that transcendental experience was worth it, just to experience that exultation.

 

Her mission came back to her at his words, though. She was here to kill the Pillar of Light. She drew upon every ounce of her self control to pull the shreds of her mind back together. She both hated and loved Amenadiel for putting her through that experience.

 

“You will need to walk from here,” the angel said, placing her on her feet. He waited for her legs to grow steady beneath her before stepping back. His eyes still held a sadness that spoke volumes. She wanted to run back and be engulfed in his strong arms. To feel the comfort of his embrace, and turn away from what she knew must come.

 

Instead, she took the first step, then another, her back to him. It was unspoken, but she knew he couldn’t join her.

 

Her goal was so close, and nothing would stop her now.

 

Not even the massive stairway leading up into the clouds.

 

 

*    *    *    *

 

 

Shelly blinked, rubbing her eyes as she tried to focus. The flood of color and detail around her disoriented and almost hurt. The world went from washed-out to over-colorized in a matter of seconds.

 

“How does this place fit with the Pillar of Darkness’s domain?” Sonia asked as she looked around. “By my measurements, it should be pitch black here, though I may be a little off without GPS satellites to reference.”

 

“We are both under the other Pillar’s domain, and outside of either reality,” Nanny stated. “The barrier we passed through took us to a separate dimension, but that barrier also defines the edge of Darkness’s lands.”

 

Listening to that explanation made Shelly’s head hurt. She accepted that they could be in a different dimension. After all, Earth and the realm that the Pillars called home were separated. But trying to understand that they were both under Darkness’s domain, and outside of it didn’t add up.

 

There were more important things to worry her mind, though. “Do you know where Jessica is now?”

 

“There can only be one place she would go,” Nanny said. “If her goal is to end the Pillar of Light, then we will find her heading there.”

 

“Let’s get going then,” Shelly ordered, wondering why the other two weren’t already moving.

 

To her surprise, Sonia shrugged and waved Shelly onward. Nanny at least nodded and started walking.

 

“It’s so peaceful here,” Sonia said, a note of awe in her voice. “I think I’d like to lay down and relax for once.”

 

“What?” Shelly demanded, shocked at the woman’s behavior. “You’re a mechanical being. I thought you said your energy stores were full. Why do you need to rest now?”

 

“They are,” Sonia kept pace with them, though she gave Shelly a quizzical look. “I was simply commenting that it’s peaceful, and it would be nice to rest. Not that I needed it.”

 

“I believe her soul is yearning for that peace, not her physical body,” Nanny interjected. “We are in Heaven, after all.”

 

Sonia blinked a few times at that revelation, then nodded. When she spoke, her voice lost some of the dreamy quality and returned to her normal crisp words. “You’re right. I’ve added a subroutine to my programming to identify that sensation, and for now, it won’t interfere. Sorry about that.” Her head tilted to the side as she regarded Shelly. “I’m curious why it isn’t affecting you, though.”

 

Shelly examined her inner feelings, wondering the same.

 

“It’s because she has a drive that motivates her to continue,” a new voice broke in. Shelly didn’t recognize the sound, but something inside her thrilled at the female tones. “I’ve rarely seen such focus in anyone living, much less here.” A mermaid swam through the air, approaching them. As she came alongside their small party, her tail split into two slender legs, and she alighted on the ground. I diaphanous green gown shimmered into existence as she regarded them with light brown eyes. Her mature yet handsome face framed by long, flowing black hair.

 

“My love!” The words that escaped Shelly’s mouth weren’t hers, and neither was the masculine voice. “I’ve missed you so much! You should know our son has become a great man.”

 

“Shemhazau?” the woman asked, her eyes confused. “I know you’ve always been a bit kinky, but you’ve really changed!”

 

Shelly clapped her hands over her mouth to stop any more words from escaping. This was the first time her grandfather ever spoke through her mouth, much less manifested while she was conscious.

 

After a moment of inspection, the mermaid nodded. “Oh, I see. You are a copy of my husband’s soul, trapped within… Oh my! You’re my granddaughter! And so are… Wait, no, you’re sharing one soul. And the Myrmidon is my great-granddaughter? What has happened to my family?”

 

Shelly’s mouth tried to answer, but she kept it muffled with her hands. Could this be her grandma? Her father held no memories of this woman and only knew that she was a mermaid. All Shelly knew was that she’d died at the hands of an assassin. She didn’t even know her real name.

 

“I think I can help you some,” the mermaid said. Without waiting for an invitation, she reached for Shelly’s heart. Shelly wanted to back away from this woman, but her body locked up, keeping her still. The hand at her chest clenched into a fist, then pulled back. It didn’t come away empty. The hazy form of an old man stepped out of Shelly, the mermaid’s fist where his heart should be.

 

The other woman released him, and then tears flooded her eyes as she embraced her husband. “I’ve missed you, Shem. I—I thought I’d never see you again after… After…”

 

“Shh, my heart,” Shemhazau held her close. “I’m going to hate myself for this, but I’m not your husband. I’m—"

 

She cut him off with a passionate kiss before burying her head into his chest. “I know. You’re a copy, but I don’t care. I’ve missed you so much.” She pulled away with a twinkle in her eyes as she added, “And if the other you ever arrives, I’m sure I can keep you both satisfied.”

 

“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Shelly said, getting uncomfortable with where their conversation was going.

 

“Wait,” the mermaid said, turning to them, but not releasing her husband. “I know why you are here, and now that I look closer, I see what is going on with your souls. I’m sorry for the pain you’ve suffered, granddaughter. You have endured more than most mortals. I can’t change what’s happened to you, but when you’re done with your business, know that you are welcome to stay here with us.”

 

Shelly spared a glance between the two and offered a smile. Shemhazau’s hungry grin made her uncomfortable. Made even worse when the mermaid elbowed him and said, “You’re incorrigible. How did you manage to live as long as you did without me to temper that?”

 

“Thanks, but… um… Can you tell us the quickest way to get to Jessica?” Shelly asked, not liking how comfortable her grandma was with her grandpa’s lack of morals.

 

“Jessica is not part of my family, so I can’t see her,” the woman said. “However, if you continue, you should be able to find her, where you’re all still living.”

 

“There isn’t some deadline to get out of here, right?” Sonia broke into the conversation. “Something to the tune of, ‘leave before midnight, or we’ll never be able to leave?’”

 

The woman laughed, the sound musical and filled with humor. “No, young lady. While here, you will not hunger, grow tired, or even be attacked, unless it’s by another living person. But if you die here, you still die. The Myrmidon with my great-granddaughter inside will be able to guide you out of here. I wish I could help more, but the dead cannot do much for the living here.”

 

“I will miss our time together,” Shemhazau said as he pulled his wife tighter to his side. “Tell your father to get the sword back from Marchosias. If it’s brought here, the rest of my soul should be able to be freed. Now, if you’ll excuse us, I have a few decades to make up for.”

 

Shelly was grateful not to have to lie and say she would miss the old codger residing in her head, as they faded from view with a lusty chuckle from the mermaid. She knew her family was a little more liberal than most, but until now, not realizing how liberal some of her ancestors were.

 

“We should hurry on,” Nanny said, pulling Shelly back to the present.

 

She nodded and took off in a sprint. The mermaid claimed she wouldn’t grow tired here, and she intended to test that theory out.

 

She didn’t know for how long they ran, and the light never changed to show any passage of time. Nanny led the way. Occasionally, Shelly thought she saw places she recognized, but she ignored it all. Jessica was her destination. She still didn’t know how she was going to stop her, but she couldn’t be allowed to kill the Pillar of Light.

 

When Nanny stopped, Shelly almost ran into her back. Only by throwing her momentum to the side did she manage to prevent the collision, but it threw her off balance. She rolled as she hit the ground and came back up in a crouch, ready for a battle. It took her less than a moment to see why Nanny stopped.

 

Amenadiel stood before them, at the base of a long stairway, suspended into the air and leading high into the sky.

 

“I will hold off the angel,” Nanny told her. “You go after Jessica.”

 

“What about Rain?” Shelly worried as she looked at the impossibly beautiful angel. She had her own grudge against him but knew she was no match for him.

 

“He will not hurt us as long as we do not attack him,” Nanny replied. “However, we can impede him and stay safe. Jessica is ahead. You need to hurry.”

 

Shelly looked up the staircase and saw a small figure, already high up, and knew Nanny spoke the truth.

 

“Sonia, come with…” she trailed off as she turned and saw that Sonia wasn’t with her. “Where?” Shelly asked as panic gripped her heart, making it hard to breathe.

 

“The android stopped following us some time ago,” Nanny said as her body shifted and grew to cut off the angel who watched them with a curious look in his bright eyes. “Reaching here was more important than keeping her on track, and she is still close enough that your souls are not at risk.”

 

But… But I need her! Sheely screamed in her head. Sonia was her support. She needed help to deal with Jessica. How was she going to do this alone?

 

“Go!” Nanny commanded and leaped for Amenadiel. Despite her speed, she showed no aggression but remained between Shelly and the stairway rising deeper into Heaven.

 

Spurred on by the command, Shelly started running again. Her legs pumped hard, bringing her to the bottom step, and then up. She took them three at a time, able to leap and leap again without getting tired.

 

She didn’t look back as she focused once more on her target. Jessica moved slower than her, and hope blossomed in Shelly’s chest that she would succeed.

 

 

*    *    *    *

 

Jessica saw the top of the stairs. She marveled that after climbing so many that she wasn’t tired. However, the fact that no rails went alongside the stairs terrified her. What would happen if she slipped and fell from this height? She didn’t know and didn’t want to find out.

 

She heard something behind her but didn’t dare turn to look. She’d made the mistake once of looking back, and it’d taken her a couple of minutes to start moving again. And then it was crawling on all fours; eyes locked securely upwards.

 

The end was so close! Her legs shook with excitement as she pressed on. She didn’t know what she’d find once at the top, vanishing into the fluffy clouds, but sensed immense power not too much further ahead.

 

She heard the sound behind her again, and this time it sounded like her name. “Amenadiel really doesn’t know when to back off and give a woman some space,” she muttered to herself. Sure, the sex was good, but she had more important things to do, like killing his boss and ending much of the injustice in the world. Not to mention getting that voice out of her head.

 

She paused for a moment, that last thought echoing in her mind. She hadn’t heard its influence since Amenadiel translated her. No, that wasn’t right. She couldn’t remember hearing it since coming to this side of the veil between the Pillar of Light’s domain and Heaven.

 

She knew that didn’t mean that she was free of it, though. She couldn’t stay here forever, and even if she could, the rest of the world would continue to hate and fight. Only once they became one could they learn to grow together.

 

She climbed onto the next step.

 

“Jessica!”

 

This time the sound of her name was clear and most certainly not masculine. She knew that voice!

 

Before she could think better of it, she turned to see Shelly running up the stairs behind her, fearless of the drop below. Her heart plummeted as she saw the determined look in her half-sister’s eyes. She wasn’t there for a friendly chat. There was only one reason Shelly would be chasing her like that.

 

Swallowing the lump that tried to choke her, Jessica turned around and leaped for the last step.

 

She needed to kill the Pillar of Light before Shelly made it up here. Amenadiel claimed that she had to be translated before meeting the Holy Pillar. She didn’t know if Shelly had suffered or enjoyed that experience, but she couldn’t let the woman interfere either.

 

Jessica’s head broke through the clouds. Golden light shone down from all around, and a path of shimmering sparkles led the way to a squared-off dais. Upon that dais sat a gold and silver throne, ornate in its brilliance, but simple with its sharp angles and lines.

 

The Pillar of Light didn’t sit on the throne but hovered above it. Her outline was that of a woman, though it was hard to make out details. She had no defined contours, but shifting pastel colors swirled within her form as though being seen through a hole in reality. She glowed around indistinct edges, almost bright enough to hurt Jessica’s eyes. If she had a face, Jessica couldn’t make it out. Her eyes tried to focus on any part of her but became lost in the shifting morass. Some portion of her mind knew that if she looked too long or too hard, she’d become lost, never returning to herself again.

 

She took a step forward, and the Pillar didn’t move. Another step as she watched as closely as she dared, and still, God didn’t acknowledge her presence.

 

Either the deity didn’t know she was there or didn’t care. If the former, then her job would be that much easier. If the latter… She felt anger worm into her thoughts that she would be ignored. She’d caused the death of the Pillar of Water. She could trap beings of immense power and bend them to her will. She was the daughter of the Pillar of Fire and Lyden Snow.

 

She would not be ignored!

 

Her thoughts reached into that other place where she stored beings and objects, pulling forth something she’d stolen from her mother long ago. A blade both blessed and cursed. It was once gifted to an ancient king to rule and fight evil. As she held it, she knew the past this blade experienced. Held by kings and warriors of renown. It’d tasted blood and brought heartache to all who wielded it for long. Even shoved into a stone, it never lost its edge. The sword had never failed to cut its target. Only when the bearer grew greedy did they find their end.

 

Excaliber shimmered with a liquid silver brilliance all its own as she closed the distance to her target. Raising the blade over her head, she prepared to strike.

 

“Jessica, stop!” the scream locked her arms up. She was too late. With a heavy sigh, Jessica brought the blade down. Hopefully, Shelly hadn’t broken the cloud surface yet. If Jessica acted swiftly, the Pillar would die before—

 

Jessica’s arms shook as the blade stopped with a loud clang. Looking at the sword, she saw a hand gripping it. The arm and body attached to that hand didn’t glow as bright as a moment ago, allowing her to see eyes within that shifting morass of lights. No matter how she pulled, pushed, or moved, the blade remained locked.

 

Then the being’s head turned towards her at an unnerving rate. At least, she felt an awareness of her that wasn’t there before.

 

Knowledge gushed into her from her contact with the magical blade. A thimble could hold the full force of the Niagara better than she could withstand what was coming to her. She realized her mistake too late. The sword held every memory and bit of knowledge of its past wielders, and also that of its victims. Jessica hadn’t taken that into account when deciding to use a blade that never failed. At least, never failed until now.

 

Time slowed to a crawl. Despite her mind feeling like air compressed and spit out the back end of a jet engine, she tried to grasp what she could.

 

She didn’t like what she managed to understand. Jessica’s mouth moved without her volition. Somehow her throat and tongue produced words in countless languages at the same time, though she only understood one.

 

I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, Jessica cried out against her will. Tears leaked from her eyes as her mind knew what would come next. I HAVE BEEN CONTENT TO ALLOW YOUR LITTLE EXISTENCE. YOU WOULD DARE ATTACK ME? I CREATED YOU AND ALL WITHIN THIS UNIVERSE. I AM ALL. I AM EVERYTHING. I WILL END ALL. I WILL END EVERYTHING AND START OVER.

 

Jessica braced herself in time for the blow she saw coming. The goddess didn’t throw her physically, but a wall of force threw her back. The muscles in her hands clenched tight as her entire body locked up. She crumpled as she slammed back on the pathway, unable even to let go of Excaliber. Jessica’s mind swam with images of the Pillar of Light ending all creation and starting over with something else.

 

Many theologists wondered why God no longer answered prayers and theorized that God was disappointed in humanity. Even Amenadiel suspected as much. The truth was worse and so very different than what humans feared.

 

God was bored and lazy, wanting to be left alone. The penultimate introvert.

 

“Jessica…”

 

The soft gasp pulled Jessica’s awareness back into the present. She looked up and saw her half-sister, hand outstretched. Blood seeped from her eyes, ears, and nose. Horror filled her as she watched Shelly’s eyes roll back into her head, her mouth opening in a wordless scream.

 

She was too late. Shelly would die because of Jessica’s hubris. Jessica thought she could make the worlds a better place. Instead, God was going to destroy it all. She’d heard the phrase, ‘Let sleeping giants lie.’ She’d thought she was big enough to take them down. Now she’d awoken one that was beyond anything she could hope to defeat.

 

Shelly convulsed, spitting and coughing blood as she shook. Jessica saw her skin start to turn red before flaking away. God’s presence was too much for anyone not translated.

 

Body screaming, Jessica crawled to her half-sister, wanting to offer whatever comfort she could in her last moments. Her hand still refused to let go of Excaliber, so she used her free hand to pull herself along the path.

 

Exhausted, bloodied, and weak, she reached for Shelly’s outstretched hand.

 

Power flooded back into Jessica as Shelly vanished. “No!” Jessica screamed, then cut short as she looked at her hand. A different sword rested in her palm. The blade was dull gray, though a pearly white sphere rested within the base of the pommel. She knew this sword. She’d used Shelly in it once before.

 

Murasame vibrated with power in her left hand, while Excalibur shone brightly in her right. Holding both, she knew all that Shelly knew.

 

Jessica’s heart broke as in the space of two heartbeats, she relived all of Shelly’s pain. Jessica’s betrayal and abandonment after what the Other inside her had forced her to do with Sheldon and the rape she’d suffered because of Aecus. Having her soul ravaged by Amenadiel, and then giving birth to an unwanted child. There was joy as well, but there was so much more pain. Tears filled her eyes as Shelly’s knowledge and experience washed through her. Even with Shelly unconscious in this form, all of her knowledge was laid bare to Jessica.

 

She knew how the android tried to fill the hole Jessica once held, and while Jessica felt relief to understand how much Shelly still cared for her, she also knew the ragged wound her leaving caused.

 

Two things hurt worse than any other knowledge, though. Shelly, Sheldon, and Lyden were not her family. She could see that her true father was King Aecus, the creature that raped Shelly. That meant the child waiting below with Nanny was her half-sister. What a weird moniker for such a powerful myrmidon.

 

And finally, seeing her actions through Shelly’s eyes and without the influence of the Other’s voice showed its manipulation. Killing the Pillars risked ending the universe and not tying it closer together as she was led to believe. It wasn’t a broken soul inside her, guiding her actions, but an Outsider, manipulating her.

 

Where was that voice now? Searching within as she backpedaled away from the deity hovering towards her, she couldn’t find it.

 

“Wait!” she called to God. “I was wrong. Please forgive me. I was lead astray!” The words came to her through Shelly’s knowledge, as she dropped to her knees in supplication. She crossed the two swords before her on the ground but kept hold of their hilts.

 

THERE CAN BE NO FORGIVENESS FOR THOSE DESIRING TO MURDER. YOUR HUBRIS WILL BRING ABOUT THE DOWNFALL OF EVERYTHING. This time, the multilingual words weren’t spoken out loud but vibrated reality around Jessica. The Pillar of Light raised her hands over her head, a flaming sword appearing, poised to cut Jessica down.

 

Despite the new energy coursing through her, Jessica struggled to roll out of the way. The burning blade cut lazily through the air, biting deep into the foggy ground. That ground bubbled and hissed from the heat of the blade. Jessica felt the blaze of it sear her left arm, though she managed to avoid the cut of the blade.

 

Her right hand still refused to release Excalibur, making it harder to push herself back to her feet. She waited for the killing blow to land but managed to get her feet under her without incident. Glancing to the Pillar, she felt rage falling from the deity, though she still couldn’t make out the rest of her face. It looked as though she wore a mask of shifting light with just her eyes peeking through the miasma of colors.

 

Seeing that she wasn’t charging for Jessica, she took a moment to look at her right hand. What she saw made her gasp. Her fingers and palm were melded with the hilt of Excalibur. She knew she should feel pain, or something, but her right hand felt normal. Even seeing her hand and the grip melted together, she didn’t feel numb. Other than the weariness sapping her strength, and her burnt left arm, she felt fine.

 

THIS EXISTENCE WILL END. I AM THAT END. I AM ALL ENDS. I AM ALL.

 

The Pillar’s arrogance would be laughable, if not for the fact that Jessica knew she could do it.

 

God took a single step forward that covered the three meters between them, and swung the flaming sword again.

 

The instincts and experience granted to her by Excalibur made her lift her left hand to block the blow. Too late, she remembered that hand held Shelly, and not the true Murasame. Before she could stop or reverse her action, the flaming sword crashed down upon the dull blade.

 

And stopped.

 

In awe, Jessica stared at where the two blades met and sparked. She’d seen how easily it’d cut and burned the ground moments before. Excalibur told her to act without using words, and she swung the blade at God’s middle.

 

Only to have it stop just as solid as last time. The magical blade that can’t be blocked couldn’t cut the Pillar of Light.

 

Desperate to end the fight, she cried out, “Please! I don’t want to fight you. I will give up my life if necessary, but please don’t end the worlds. I’m sorry! I was wrong. I can see that now. Please!”

 

She dropped to her knees, still keeping Murasame poised above her. Despite her weariness, she only felt light pressure from the deity pressing her blade down. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she pleaded with the powerful being.

 

The Pillar’s eyes widened, though her face remained hidden. Even when she spoke, her eyes were the only things that changed. YOU ATTACK ME, THEN PLEAD FOR MERCY? I CANNOT BE HARMED. YOU CANNOT END THAT WHICH HAS NO END. ONLY NOW THAT YOU SEE THE FUTILITY OF YOUR DESIRES DO YOU BACK DOWN. NO, THERE CAN BE NO MERCY FOR YOU, OR FOR THIS WRETCHED WORLD. I HAVE GIVEN MY COMMANDMENTS, AND TOO MANY HAVE IGNORED THEM. THIS TIME, THERE WILL BE NO FORGIVENESS. I AM A WRATHFUL GOD. NOW FEEL MY WRATH!

 

Jessica didn’t see her foot move before it impacted her chest. She tumbled back once again, and almost off the small glittering path. Her shoulder blades hung out over open air, even as she struggled to draw breath. Gasping, Jessica rolled onto her side, back onto the path. She didn’t know if she’d suffered broken ribs, but after a few tense seconds, as she tried to move away from the angry God, she finally managed a full breath. Liquid fire filled her lungs, but it felt divine.

 

Looking back at the vengeful being, she realized she was being toyed with. God could have killed Jessica every time as she recovered from one of her blows, but she always waited. And why shouldn’t she? Jessica couldn’t touch her. All she’d managed to do was anger the almighty Pillar. Jessica was manipulated, tricked, and lied to, her childhood a sham, all of it leading her to this moment. Her mother hadn’t abused her but tried to protect her. The voice inside her wanted to destroy the worlds, not save them. The father and siblings she believed were hers, weren’t. With her mind cleared, she could even see how her thoughts were twisted to ignore parts of what her mother taught her.

 

If that voice ever came to her again, she would do everything in her power to destroy it. Rage boiled up inside of her. She was done being lead around and manipulated. She was done blindly following any will-o-the-wisps.

 

Survive, the word flowed into her mind, not from the Outsider, but her left hand. Shelly wasn’t dead, but she was weak. While holding Murasame, Jessica understood that Shelly hadn’t intended to transform into this sword, but some inner instinct forced the change before she died.

 

God stepped towards her again, and Jessica jumped back before she could strike. Her legs nearly buckled at the sudden movement, but managed to hold her at the last moment.

 

“I can’t fight her,” Jessica whispered to the dull blade. “I can’t harm her, and even if I could, it would end existence. Either way, I lose.”

 

Use me… to strike. The words were so weak, Jessica barely heard them. She took a moment to look at her weapon in shock. Could Murasame wound the deity? And considering how it affected them both last time, what would happen with a being as impossible as the Pillar of Light?

 

While holding both blades, Jessica knew all of Shelly’s mind. Shelly didn’t know if it would work or not, but perhaps wounding the arrogant deity would be enough to allow them to escape. If not, could she accept the power of the Pillar of Light and hold reality together against the Outsiders? They didn’t know, but it was their only hope.

 

Sudden movement pulled Jessica’s eyes back to her adversary, just in time to try and block the next blow. Excalibur rose in her right hand, angled to deflect the flaming sword to her right and create an opening, rather than stopping it.

 

She only partially succeeded. The searing blade cut through Excalibur, and the arm holding it. Jessica screamed in agony as most of her appendage fell to the ground. The heat of the sword cauterized the wound immediately, but not before she felt the pain. Pieces of Excalibur and the length of her arm starting just above her elbow littered the once pristine path.

 

Her mind shut down as her body went on autopilot. She met the gloating eyes of the Pillar of Light as her left arm swung the sentient blade. Those bright eyes widened for a fraction of a second before life seeped from them.

 

The Pillar of Light fell back, the dull blade slipping from her body, but Jessica didn’t see it.

 

Power, strength, and ecstasy flowed from the blade into her, washing away the pain, washing away everything. Light engulfed her, surrounded her, suffused her… Became her. Jessica didn’t even notice the end of the world as reality crumbled.

 

 

 

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From the Author

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This will be the last chapter posted to this site but is not the final chapter. There will be an epilogue written for the ebook when I publish it to Amazon. At that time, I will also post the link here.

 

And finally, if you haven’t seen the previous mentions, there is a third book coming. That one will tie up the trilogy, as it adds new twists to this world I’ve created. The main character will be one you’ve seen before in this book, though of no relation to Lyden Snow and his family. It will also pick up during the moments of the last chapter, so no long 20-year time jump, this time.

Please let me know what you think of the book cover at the top of this post. I'm open to any suggestions, if anyone has other ideas.

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this series as much as I enjoyed writing it. I also hope this pandemic finds you and your families well.

Jessica

Shelly

Sonia

Amenadiel