Hannah's POV
"Alright, the moon is set. I can feel the thrum of its energy in my fingers. You guys ready?"
"As I'll ever be. So, other than finding the source of the moon at its fullest potential, do you have a plan?" Gerald asks, skeptical.
I sigh, "Honestly, not really. I wasn't given much of a chance to figure that out when wraiths attacked us, but I could feel the energy from the moon flowing through me, consuming me. I figured I could use that to weaken the realm we're in. If I need more energy, can I harness it from you guys? I've siphoned energy from Jonathan before. It won't hurt you, but you will be slightly drained."
"As long as you don't kill me again, deal," Asmodeus chuckles.
"Lucifer is gonna get a kick out of you being alive, that's for sure," I giggle.
Gerald smiles and rubs my shoulder in a fatherly way. "Whatever you need, hun. What do you think happens once we leave purgatory?"
"I think our souls return to our bodies. Knowing Jonathan, I'm kept somewhere at camp. Yours should be wherever in the hell your wife buried you, and as for Asmodeus, I don't know what they did to your body. I'm sorry, that's not helpful for you. But when you return to Earth, you two find each other and stay hidden. Everyone thinks you're dead and only go to those you can fully trust. Make allies along the way, not enemies. You can meet me at Camp Genesis after you find each other; we'll figure it out from there. I have no idea what I did to Lilith and Elizabeth, and I'm hoping they won't be a current problem when I get back," I sigh.
"I thought you said Liz is good?" Gerald questions.
"She is playing double agent and doing everything the Crone tells her to do. I need to find this Crone person," I roll my eyes.
Gerald chuckles, "Good luck with that. You'll only find the Crone when she wants to see you. She's been alive all these years for a reason, but she doesn't seem like an enemy. It's as though she's intuitively playing from the sidelines. She can be a great ally."
"Well, here's to hoping she wants to meet me then," I smile. "Alright, showtime. Let's move quickly. I'll put up a shield around us; no wraiths will be able to detect us, but I don't know who else is down here. I never expected to run into Asmodeus, so we might find trouble."
"Lead the way, dark wolf," Asmodeus laughs as we exit Gerald's enchanted home.
I place a shield up and follow the moon's energy, feeling the thrumming pulse stronger the closer we get to it.
"We're not at the same spot as last time," Asmodeus points out.
"Yeah, I know. I think it's because we're on an axis, and it's slightly rotated since last month. If that's the case, is purgatory a little realm located on Earth?"
"Probably why you can feel the moon's energy. It's a benefit for us, so I'm not complaining," Gerald adds as we navigate toward the moon's energy.
I stop right in my tracks. "Here. It's right here."
"Okay. Remember to embrace the darkness to appreciate the light," Geralds says as I reach my hand out for the moon.
"The darkness. Is that literally or figuratively?" Asmodeus asks curiously.
"I think God meant it for both. We are in the dark here, and there's a darkness in me I can no longer hide," I sigh as I channel the moon's energy into my body. "I have to embrace my dark to appreciate my light because I am both," I whisper as I siphon all the energy I can hold.
"Holy shit, you're glowing," Asmodeus awes.
I glance at him and Gerald before acknowledging what I have to do. I welcome the chaos inside me and greet it like an old friend. I need to trust that I can balance both the dark and the light.
"What in the world do you think you're doing?" A somber voice escalates nearby.
"You can see us?" I must look very confused because this man's lips twist into a smirk as he approaches us.
"Yes, as I'm the one that brought each of you here," he smugly responds.
It dawns on me that he's the angel of death. "Azrael, nice to meet you," I reply calmly, holding the moon's energy in my body while he attempts to distract us. "I have a planet to save. Can we have this chat another time?" I glare as I weakly try to smile out of politeness.
"Oh, don't stop on my account. I'm not here to stop you. I'm only here to seal the rift after you leave. You earned it since you were smart enough to figure it out on your own. As for your choice of friends, you didn't need them for this," he counters emotionless.
"I couldn't have done it without them. As you know, this place sucks away any hope. Them and the moon were the only things bringing hope to me. That and your father's words to me my first day here," I smirk, knowing he probably hasn't spoken to God in a while.
"He spoke to you, and out of all places here?" Azrael comes out of the darkness and reveals his face. Dark black, shaggy hair on his head that curls around his ears. A long scar starts above his right eyebrow and goes down his cheek. His eyes show the same darkness this place haunts. Why do all the angels have to be so damn young and beautiful? Makes no sense to me.
"He told me, 'You have to embrace the darkness to appreciate the light.' I feel of all people, you should understand that sentiment," I whisper as he hides his scar in the darkness.
"Hmph. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again," he snides before turning his back to walk away.
"Azrael, there's always a light in the darkness. Try to see it."
He turns his face to me, and for the first time, a glimmer of hope sparks in his eyes. He nods as I shut my eyes and release the energy on Purgatory's walls. A small opening shows the night sky, full of stars and a bright moon.
"You did it, my girl!" Gerald exclaims happily.
"Go, dark wolf!" Asmodeus cheers as he sticks his hand out for a high five.
I slap his hand in return as Azrael smirks from where he's standing.
"Remember, we need to meet back up at Camp Genesis whenever you can. Satan's on the loose, and I don't know when he plans on striking. Asmodeus, your body is probably closer to me than anything, so I understand if you make it first without Gerald. Please be safe, and I appreciate you guys."
"Satan is out of his cage?" Azrael's eyes are wide as he questions what I said.
"Yes. He hasn't appeared yet, but it's why Lilith and Elizabeth were creating an army of demons and halfbreeds. She thought she could take him on, but boy, was she wrong," I chuckle darkly as I shake my head.
"I wish you the best, truly. Hurry, I need to close the rift before other lost souls wander out," Azrael rambles on impatiently.
"Azrael, remember there's always a light, especially with you angels," I giggle before grabbing hands with both Gerald and Asmodeus and stepping out of Purgatory's realm back onto Earth.
