Liam was a man. He was a manly man. In fact, he was so mannish that there wasn't anything in the whole wide world that could scare him-not a fight, and not even working so closely with an ancient god. Yet he still kept a suspicious eye on the zombie that swayed absently beside him, watching her as she stared ahead blankly with her empty eyes. Nina's lifeless disposition ran chills up his spine, and he was almost tempted to take her out while the old god had his back to them. But he didn't, and he continued to wait patiently to understand why they had been standing in the field for a while now.
"This place," Andreegys held out a hand, beckoning to the area around them. It was where Genesis had been raised from the earth, where the Anchoress and Dill and even Austin had died. Where Byrenion had returned. "It is holy, can't you feel it? Consecrated long ago in preparation for what it would birth into the world. But now it has been baptized in blood, and it has become the devourer of innocence. Here is where I will enact my revenge."
"Revenge?" The Irish cyborg wondered, watching as the god turned to behold them now, affectionately touching the dead Nina's face as he cooed at her-like she was a pet. "I take it you've given up hope for Byrenion then? What's it going to be this time, bud, more fire rain or another permanent night?"
"You mock what you fear, it is understandable, you are only a cretin." The silver eyed immortal was wise to his ways. "But I am the scourge of mankind, the thing of nightmares, the monster in all the legends passed down in all the tribes of the world. I have caused war, famine! I am pestilence, and death! It is I who am responsible for so many of the horrors across the centuries, and you are soon to witness another."
"And you think this will make him come back to you?" Liam asked, leaning away when Nina got a little too close for his liking.
"Byrenion is insignificant at this point. He did not kill me, but he was quick to defend them. He will not join me, but he thinks with them he is safe. He may still awaken and return to me, or perhaps Vorne's drudge will come through and we'll find a way yet. If not, I have to think ahead, about what is left should he remain out of my reach. If I cannot have the things which I deserve, the things that I have bled and toiled for, then I will ensure that all of creation feels my scorn. I will not leave this place until I have created what I've longed for all these millennia-even if I am alone. Elysium." With that Andreegys outstretched his fingers, a black orb appearing in his palm.
"What is that?" The cyborg inquired, getting a sinking feeling in his gut just from looking at it.
"It wasn't that long ago that I unleashed a disease upon this earth that killed a third of its populace. They called it the black plague. This, well, this will make what they dealt with then seem like child's play." It didn't take much for the old god to clench his fist and destroy the orb, offering up its contents to the wind when he unfurled his fingers. It almost seemed impossible, how much disease could be in such a small container, but a thick smog continued to emanate from his palm as it kicked up into the air and dispersed into the atmosphere. No matter what had come before, he knew this would not fail.
Toby, however, had failed. He'd been given a simple test to prove his resolve-kill Dede-but he had not been able to do it. He hadn't needed to be told to know that Monica was well aware of his failure, and when she had summoned him he already knew what to expect. Indeed, she did not look too happy to see him, but she forwent any frustration she had inside, understanding the counterproductive effect it would have on him if she took that approach. No, she knew to rely on what she did best. Manipulate.
"I must say, I am rather disappointed that you chose to let that terrible woman breathe another day longer." She shrugged, sighing a little overdramatically.
"What can I say? I got there and had a change of heart-I refuse to be like you. Now, I'm more than willing to let you jerk me the hell around if that's what you want-I'd do anything for Austin. But killing his mom doesn't do a damn thing except appeasing you." He fired back, resolved in the decision that he'd made. She could see that, so she kicked it up a notch.
"You know, you never did ask me why I wanted her dead. That was surprising, I would've thought you'd have asked some questions before agreeing like you did." Monica smiled, showing her teeth.
"I didn't ask because I didn't care. Still don't." Toby crossed his arms, watching the way her mind worked.
"Well you should, I mean, we are talking about me after all, I want her dead for a reason. And you're wrong, it does serve a purpose-I told you from the start what I wanted out of this deal, that I wanted to be rid of Vorne. You see, Stephanie was so incredibly bright, you wouldn't believe all the kinds of dirty secrets she dug up. Like, say, that Dede Fletcher-the very woman who so suspiciously appeared in town out of nowhere-has had past dealings with my boss." She confessed.
"You're lying, she's here because she somehow got a letter from Austin." He tried to deny the shock of hearing that at first, but he considered how Dede's reappearance had never made any sense, and when he looked back at the villainess he could see that, for once, she was telling him the truth. "What kind of dealings?"
"I told you she's a horrid shrew, but that didn't seem to be enough for you, despite all the things that your lover told you about her. Austin told you the events of his kidnapping, yes? How he came to be with the Anchoress? What if I told you that it wasn't random that he was the one? What if I told you that my boss chose him particularly? Why? I haven't a clue, but I do know he didn't just walk up and snatch him away. He got permission from his mother. Yes, you're starting to get it, Dede sold Austin into that fate-she sent him to hell." Manipulation was always the most fun when it was torture, and Monica could see that was what she was doing to him.
"Now I know you're lying." Immediately Toby was driven into denial, because he couldn't honestly begin to even imagine how to process that. But yet again he could see the honesty on her face.
"There's a spell that you're aware of, right? You say a little chant, plant one on me, and you can see what I see. Here, don't just take my word for it, take a gander for yourself." She licked her lips waiting for him. He was reluctant, but he needed to know, so sure enough he said the spell and stepped forward, hovering just inches from her as he tried to settle his stomach. But she did the work for him, running her hand through his hair and pressing their mouths together, putting a little more effort into the embrace than she needed to as she parted his lips with her tongue. He finally pulled away, looking her in the eyes as he spat on her floor and headed for the door, leaving her panting. "Where are you going?"
"To kill that bitch." His head was spinning and he was filled with rage, knowing that he and Monica were, for once, in full alignment. Dede was not human, not with what she had done, and she needed to be punished. She hadn't just failed to love her son, she had sold him like he was property, she had been uncaring about the life he would be forced to lead-if it could be called that. All the torture at the hands of the Anchoress that had left Austin scarred was all her fault. But now she would taste a little of what he felt, and he knew nothing would stop him this time. He was furious.
That was a disposition that he happened to share with Qui'hara. True, she was never that happy to begin with, especially in recent times, but with what had happened with Nina she found that her days were spent in a constant haze of red. She still kept at it though, instead of retreating like her nature compelled her to do, because she knew her best chance to get Myrna back, safe and sound, was to stay integrated in the group. So even though it killed her she stayed faithful, always lurking nearby quietly, and did what was required of her. That included patrolling, which she just so happened to be doing, with Cliff.
"You know if we get into any trouble you're not going to need me, so I don't know why I've got to be here, I'd rather be at home." He complained, the same as he'd been doing since they'd began.
"Then go, I have already made clear that your presence is nothing but an inconvenience. I hunt best alone." She stated, wishing that he would. In learning to be human, she had grown to understand the importance of taunting, and muttering under the breath. She did so now. "To think either one of them could have loved you."
"What was that, princess? You'll have to speak up, I couldn't hear you over your raging hormones." He taunted her back. "You would think everyone would cut me some slack, I mean, it's not exactly my fault that I'm this way. My soul was stolen when I made the mistake of stepping in the way of an evil god to try to save my friend. That should count for something. Besides, we're not so different now, you and me, we both say whatever the hell we want, we don't care what anybody thinks."
"We are not the same." The demoness turned and stopped, addressing him now. She was firm, but somehow gentler, as if she had suddenly found some compassion for him. "You do not long for Myrna as I do, not anymore. You did not weep when Nina was killed so coldly."
"And you did?" The former cop caught onto her subtext, interested to learn that she was capable of tears. But she only looked away and refused to answer. A sarcastic remark ran through his mind, but before he said it he thought of Nina, and what she had wanted for him. How she thought everything he was somehow still remained, buried beneath, and he decided to return the Karthix warrior's honesty with some of his own. "I feel like I should've. Cried, I mean. It's almost as if I can remember that I loved Nina, that she meant something, but it's like I'm just looking at an outline that someone has cut out."
His words surprised her, and she returned her eyes to him, unsure of what she should say. She was still angry, and hurt, and full of blame that needed a place to go, but at the same time she could almost see the man that he used to be. She hadn't cared for that man before, but now that he'd been gone for so long she almost found that she missed him. Yet there wasn't time to rejoice as a foul stench filled the air and she was forced to cover her nose, watching as a sickly cloud of disease rolled in that only her demon eyes could see. It wasn't a great leap to figure out the cause, and she looked back at Cliff, telling him they needed to call the gang together.
That raised the question of whether or not to call Lorelei as well, whether she should be allowed back. She had been homebound for far too long, and without her position she had fallen into a rut. She was just returning to her flat, having finished a job. Not the demon hunting kind, but the thief kind. It'd been a while since she'd pulled off a heist, and though it had gone off without a hitch she found that the excitement of stealing inanimate objects no longer compared to the new life she'd acclimated herself to. Her mood failed to improve when she found Byrenion right where she'd left him.
"Yeah, everything's cool, thanks for asking." She quipped, kicking off her stilettos and heading down the hall. That was when she saw that the door was open. It'd been closed for what seemed like eons, and she was paralyzed as she saw into it, saw all the baby stuff just the way Dill had left it. She called vacantly over her shoulder, "I never gave you permission to snoop around."
"There was much pain seated in this room, it wept for me." He was suddenly right behind her and she jumped, smacking him on the shoulder before closing the door and continuing.
"How would you like it if someone went looking through all of your private thoughts and feelings?" Lorelei countered, sitting down on the couch once she'd reached the living room. He said nothing as he followed after her, remaining at a distance as he kept his eyes on her. It made her uncomfortable, but she knew he didn't understand-he didn't understand a lot of things, which was why he had wanted to be with her in the first place. She let his prying go and shook her head, starting over, "speaking of, how are things with you?"
"You wish to know my thoughts?" Byrenion was torn, not liking how he'd opened himself so casually to a mortal, but knowing he'd done so for a reason. "There is a sense of danger in the veil today, take heed, Andreegys is surely seeking to even things out now that he's recovered. That is how he has always been, since the beginning. During the order of the old gods," he stopped, realizing nostalgia threatened to take him, and the sensation he felt when he thought of Andreegys brought him pain. So he stopped.
"It's okay," the thief picked up on it immediately, "I already know how important he is to you-eternal love story, transcendent, ether, yada yada."
"It is not that," the god thought it over carefully. "As I told you before, it's very confusing. With perfect clarity I recall Andreegys and the millennia we spent together, and I feel about him as I always have. Yet this shell refuses to relinquish what it left behind, and even now it wails for its own love and deafens me with the sound. When I see the hybrid it is like a raging flood, or a stench that is too repugnant to ignore. It overwhelms me and I am confused."
"You said before that everything of Austin's now belongs to you-does that mean his love is yours as well? Do you love Toby too?" She was quick.
"No." It was his first response, but he rethought it. "I do not know."
"Let me save you the trouble, you better hope that's not the case, because that's just asking for it. Toby would never go for that, and he'd probably try to kill you every time he saw you if he knew. Trust me though, it's not like you're missing out on anything, love is more trouble than it's worth." Her advice was callous.
"I cannot stop the way this body, this shell, reacts when it is near him, when it is exposed to certain stimuli. Nor can I stop the thoughts that race too fast for reason. But I do not believe you when you speak of love, for there is a room just over there that makes you a liar." His response was insightful, and she wasn't sure what to say to him then. In a way she was almost as confused as he was, and they were both looking for a way to figure it out so they could move on. But fortunately she didn't have to try right then, as her phone went off and saved her from dealing with her demons.
"That was Cliff, I guess you were right-there is something going down. I'm headed over there now, you stay here." Knowing that there was never any rest to be had, Lorelei went to the door as soon as she'd hung up the phone, slipping back into her shoes. Yet she knew she couldn't just leave him so abruptly like that, so she gave him once last piece of advice-one she knew revealed her own weakness. "Just, think about this. You need to try to figure out who you are when you're alone, without love or anyone else. Forget about all of that, you need to decide what you want out of what you've been given, and where you belong. But good luck with that."
Meanwhile, ironically, Wellever was also praying for a little bit of luck as he entered back into the old god's lair, already feeling a little woozy from a cause he did not yet know. The thick layer of sick that had fallen on the city was righteous, a sign of divinity. It was natural selection; the survival of the fittest. Not everyone would come down with the illness that had gone airborne, it would only afflict the weak, wiping them out and leaving only what was strong. That was twofold, a sign of wrath in all those slaughtered, and a sign of mercy in those left alive. And those left alive, well, there was a plan for them as well.
"Blessed day, mortal. The very fact that you've shown your face to me once again can mean only one thing. Tell me, what have you learned?" Andreegys was radiant, absolutely glowing over the chaos he had sewn. He could see the fever the man before him was starting to feel, and he knew. Not like the sickness would affect his own companions, the cyborg and the zombie.
"Yes, well, I come bearing some news, but I am not sure it is how you'd hoped." Wellever dodged, unsure of how safe he'd be when he was no longer useful.
"Out with it!" With an outstretched hand, the old god paralyzed him, forcing his mouth to fall open and his tongue to loose, spilling all the knowledge he had inside.
"It's not exactly news, per se. Recently, Vorne received a rather unusual visitor-one who had some sort of business with him that was so secret I was forced to leave-me!" The British minion wore an expression of shock, a look of terror on his face while the words that came from him were casual and out of his control. "I am his right hand, he cannot live should he cut me off, and yet that was exactly what he'd done. All of this is strange enough as it is, but you'd never guess who that visitor was. It was Dede Fletcher-Austin Spencer's mother."
"I see." The silver eyed immortal allowed him to fall to the ground once he was finished, thinking over the absurdity of the facts as he tried to figure it out. Yes, it really was unusual, for so many reasons; but especially because her son was the one who had broken the prophecy and took the hybrid's place, therefore becoming the vessel to harbor his beloved.
"There you have it, use it as you will. I'll be going now." The timid underling didn't wait to be dismissed, turning to run from that place as fast as he could. But he found himself paralyzed again.
"You didn't really think I'd let you go, did you?" Andreegys was pressed up against him from behind then, hands clamped on his shoulders while his tongue ran along his ear, whispering. "You are mine now, as will be Vorne. To betray me, a god, is to betray life-there is no forgiveness to be had." With might he suddenly tossed Wellever behind him, sending him rolling to a stop at Liam's feet. "Take him, keep him here and do not allow him to leave. If he tries, he'll make a filling snack for our Nina. I shan't be long, but it seems I have a new mystery that needs unraveling."
But mysteries were all over the place, and there were a few that the gang was trying to figure out as well. Lorelei was the last to arrive at the shop, finding that she had to walk shamefully to the table while the accusing eyes followed her. Qui'hara had not forgotten what had happened, and neither had Blair and Percy. Cliff was the only one who couldn't be bothered with blame-it wasn't something that he could feel anyway. Lorelei almost relished his soullessness now, and she anchored herself as she came to a stop and sat down, crossing her arms before speaking.
"We're all here," she began, "what's the big emergency?"
"We're not all here-we still need to wait for Toby." Percy was first to cut in.
"If he was coming, he'd already be here." Cliff answered shortly.
"There is no time to be wasted! He should have been quicker had he wished to be in attendance-we must begin." Qui'hara took command. "There is foul magic upon us this day, I have seen it."
"Foul magic?" Again Lorelei spoke up, curious. "What kind, I mean, hasn't that sort of been the thing we've had to deal with for a while now? Raising the dead, the prophecy-foul magic is pretty much Andreegys' thing."
"You do not understand. This is not a simple trick to cut at us, this is cause for great alarm. Can you not feel the way the air has thickened around you? Can you not smell the sickness that bates your breath even now? He has unleashed a great plague upon us, as we speak it creeps across the sky, infecting all those it comes into contact with. Those who do not fall ill carry it to those who will. He makes his move, and we must prepare." The demoness worked to inform them of the very grim picture.
"Is this what you saw in your prophecy?" Cliff looked at the sister. She had told them what had happened to her, but she had skirted around actually telling them what she had seen. Now it was asked of her though, and she had to think fast, because she did not want to tell them. She couldn't; not when she was still trying to understand it all herself.
"No." Blair figured that the best way to hide her lie was by distracting them with a truth. "But I did see something that might help us. I know now what I must do-I know how to prepare an exorcism that will successfully remove Andreegys from Myrna."
"Then do it. We will survey the damage." Qui'hara stated, leaving without another word and being followed shortly by Lorelei and Cliff. That left Percy alone with the sister, and she stared at her without mercy.
"They're gone now, you can cut the act. There's something more you didn't tell them, something else about that vision you got. What is it?" The ghost pried.
"My child, I told them the truth." The nun countered, looking away and opening her grimoire.
"Sure, but not the whole truth. Come on, after all, I know what you look like when you're lying now."
"Yes. I suppose you do. I am sorry, Persephone, you must trust me when I say it is never my intent to deceive any of you. It's not surprising that you saw through me, though. Even after what you've learned, you have yet to tell them that I was the one who sent the letter, and though I am grateful, I find myself wondering why."
"What good would that do any of us right now? Especially with everything else that's going on. Hello, there's kind of more important things to worry about." Percy spoke pragmatically, but then she sighed. "Besides, I know your heart was in the right place. Not that any of that will matter unless we can keep it beating. So spill, what aren't you telling me?"
"I cannot say. Not because I do not wish to, but because I am unsure of how. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before, and I am confused by the flashes that I saw. But I will tell you that I am not lying in the slightest when I say that I really do have a way to free Myrna, to return her here safe and sound. But that kind of magic comes at a cost, as it always does. There will be a price to pay, a debt, and we'll have to make good on it." Blair told her a little, using her same logic as before, distracting her with a truth. Then, out of nowhere, she began to cough, a fit that lasted for a full minute. The ghost's eyes were on her, knowing what it could mean, but she didn't care, she wanted to focus on her task, ready to see it through.
Meanwhile, Toby was also ready to see his own task through. His vision was clouded, red with anger from learning the truth about Dede, and he knew he would have no problem killing her this time. Again it was like fate, giving him a second chance where he had failed before, and he saw her standing alone on the platform as she waited for the subway, oblivious to what was about to come her way. Well, almost oblivious. At the last second her danger sense kicked in, and she threw up her suitcase, blocking his hand as her luggage caught fire. With a scream she dropped it, glancing at him for only a second before noticing the open flame in his palm.
She didn't understand. Was he some kind of magician, about to do a trick? Or was he truly a monster? There was little time to debate it and she turned, running away from him. She knew he would follow, as he did, but she managed to make it to the next platform over, hiding herself away as the subway zipped by in a thundering roar that rang louder than the pulse in her ears. When it was gone she could hear him, breathing heavily as he looked for her, his shoes echoing impossibly loud on the tile as she covered her mouth and began to cry.
"He's dead." Toby said the first words, still searching for her. "That's the big secret no one wanted to tell you-Austin's dead. Not that you'd care, why would you? I know now what you did, that it was you who sold him away. Your own son!" He kicked something over and made a loud noise, causing her to jump. "You're human, so maybe you couldn't have imagined the kind of hell you were selling him into. Literally, hell, do you know what happened to him? There was this creature, he told me she had a thousand razor sharp teeth, and she fed on him, ate him up day after day for years."
"I talked to him, he's not dead." Dede called, trying to appease him as she moved from her spot, finding a new one and pressing her back against a pillar.
"That wasn't him!" He screamed, scaring her again before he quieted back down. "There was this thing, this prophecy. I was supposed to die and be taken over by a being. But Austin, he, well, he loved me a little too much, and he took my place. That being likes to go around pretending to be him every so often, and I have to live with that." His footfalls disappeared then, and everything was silent. After a moment she grew weary, taking several breaths before daring to peek around the column to look for him. She didn't see him, but when she moved back to return to where she'd been she found him.
"Please don't kill me!" She screamed, pleading as she sobbed. With a quick move he had her by the throat again, slamming her so hard into the pillar that it cracked the tile and left her dazed.
"Why? You worthless bitch, I'll kill you like you killed him." Toby seethed, resentful as he tortured her. But her death wasn't enough, and he threw her to the floor, kicking her. "I want to know what kind of mother would do that to her son!"
"You don't understand, you don't know my life!" Now Dede was angry too, and her rage blended with her fear and pain gracefully. But he wasn't interested in her sob story and he knelt over her, reaching for her again. But she yelled, "he raped me!" It was quiet for a moment, and he looked at her in confusion before she continued. "I had a perfect life-perfect husband, perfect son, everything! Then I got raped, and I got pregnant, and my husband left me, and my whole life fell apart! Because of him. Because of Austin. He was never anything but trouble for me-he ruined my life. So I ruined his."
"Go back to hell." He whispered it, so calmly before his whole arm lit up, and he went to touch her. Yet before he could make contact he was knocked back, slammed into the column as he looked on to what had prevented him from avenging Austin. Andreegys smiled first at him, turning his head impossibly to the side without a word. Then he turned his silvery stare to Dede next, who began to hyperventilate just looking at him. As she began to shriek hysterically he waved his hand and caused her to disappear, offering once last laugh to Toby before doing the same.