A QUEST OF DEATH : Shadows Never Lie (undergoing MACRO EDITING)

24 | To Celebrate A Death • Part 2

Devereaux looked at her, their eyes locking in a silent exchange of emotions. "Promise me you wouldn't go down the same path as he is," Ada pleaded, her voice tinged with urgency.

"It's not something in my control," Dev replied, his tone resigned.

"Gibberish! There's nothing unchangeable in this world. Even fate can change. All you need is will," Ada insisted, her voice firm and determined.

The Dark Lord couldn't help but wonder what Lady Moira's face would look like if she ever got to hear what Ada had just spoken. Unless she was her granddaughter, Moira would not have hesitated to put her through hell just to prove how wrong she was. It didn't essentially matter to that old lady whether she was the one writing one's fate, she made sure everyone feared the consequences of interrupting the flow. 

"It's not that easy, Ada," he countered, sighing as he tried to get his thoughts collected.

"I didn't say it's easy. And that's why you should try harder. Gan went down because he had no will to survive. He chose his demise. Don't be like him," Ada urged, her tone softening as she pleaded with him. A tear slipped down her warm cheek, reflecting the moonlight. "Please. You promised me to stay by my side."

The Dark Lord enveloped the sobbing girl in his embrace, feeling the weight of her sorrow against his chest. Her tears dampened the fabric of his ebony attire, but he didn't mind. He gently stroked her back, offering silent comfort as she sobbed softly. Resting his head atop hers, he breathed in the scent of jasmine that clung to her. Each inhalation filled him with a sense of calm and familiarity, soothing the turmoil within him.

He gently wiped away Ada's tears, his touch comforting against her skin. As her sobs began to ebb, he spoke softly, his voice carrying a hint of melancholy.

"Do you know what today is?" he asked, his gaze searching hers.

"T-Tuesday?" Ada replied, her voice trembling as she sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve. She remained nestled against his chest, finding solace in its warmth. 

"Tuesday, yes.Seventeenth of September." He nodded, his eyes meeting Ada's reddened ones as she looked up from where she lay against his chest. "It's my death anniversary."

The revelation made Ada perk up from her lying position. "You...died? But I thought you're immortal," She exclaimed, confusion etched on her face.

"I am immortal, yes," Dev explained simply. "I'm Death, Ada. How do you think I come to be?"

Ada's brows furrowed in confusion. Despite spending so much time in his company, she had never thought to inquire about his past.

"I-you never told me about it."

"You never asked."

"I--I never felt the need to," she remarked nestling more and more into his embrace. She noticed the lack of heartbeat or echo of his voice within his core. "You've never been any different to me. Like the world suggest---terrifying, merciless, horror."

Devereaux smiled, or at least tried to. "You're one of the few who address me by my name. To the world, I am simply Death. The Doom."

"But how did you die though?" Ada questioned, searching his eyes for answers.

"I died the day I became Death. More precisely, the Devereaux Louise Severan died in me," Dev remarked, his tone tinged with sadness. 

"I thought death would be peaceful," she observed every contour of his face, "but your gestures suggest me otherwise."

"I thought so too Ada. I thought I'd feel achieved, once the human in me was dead. I thought it would rid me of all the pains, burdens, regrets. I thought it would justify my actions. By choice I'd succumb into darkness and it would stop bothering me anymore. But immortality is far beyond what it seems to be Ada. Death is not the escape."