Everything was quiet as they all stared at her, breathless in their wonder as to why she had called them to the shop. She looked tired, with bags under her eyes, and days without sleep had left her with pale skin and an unsteady balance on her feet. Nevertheless she prevailed, standing before them looking wholly undefeated, and beautiful in her triumph. Blair held her grimoire in her hand, proud of the words and the magic that were pressed between its pages, and proud of the assembly of her friends that had maintained faith in her. It almost made what was soon to come worth it.
"I have finished the spell. We will finally be able to free Myrna." She chose to keep it simple, to relish in the excited murmurs that rippled through the group. They were all there, even Toby, and she met his eyes with hers as they exchanged a silent understanding.
"Then let us go," Qui'hara acted as though she had no time to waste, saying the words quicker than she could jump up.
"Woah, hold up, it's not exactly that easy." Percy held out a hand to stop her, hovering just a step away from the nun as if she were some kind of muscle.
"I'm afraid that is correct. While it is true that the exorcism is ready, we must still figure out how to execute it. I mean, even if we were to somehow locate Andreegys' new lair, the last time we rushed in did not bode well for us-we lost one of our own." The good sister explained, watching Lorelei's head bow in shame. But there wasn't time to stroke hurt feelings, and she continued. "This time we have to be prepared, we need to be the ones calling the shots."
"And how exactly do you suggest we do that? We can't just call him up on the phone and ask him to come on over." Cliff almost seemed annoyed, goading the others instead of trying to think of solutions. One look from the demoness quieted him though.
"Maybe not, but we've still got to find a way to bring him onto our turf." Toby could see the plan unfolding, and he shook his head and scoffed. "We need bait."
"Byrenion." Lorelei was quick to pick up on it as well, and she put away her shame in an attempt to help out her friends. "He'd come running if Byrenion called for him."
"Sorry, but I'm going to have to ask it again," it was Cliff, still being pessimistic and still being unable to temper his wit despite the glares from the Karthix warrior. "How are we supposed to swing that?"
"You've adopted him, shouldn't be too hard to have that conversation." Toby was dry when he spoke to the thief, knowing it came across to her as resentful as it sounded. Still, in the back of his mind he considered the possibilities. It seemed like a golden opportunity to further his plans with Monica, to sway Byrenion to the cause. He wouldn't have to work so hard at convincing him if there was an actual reason why he should join them. That, and he was having a hard time even considering becoming chummy with the monster who had invaded Austin.
"Do you think you might be able to convince him?" Blair redirected the conversation back to herself, asking in a much politer way. She was no fool, and she-like the rest of them-knew that Byrenion represented their best chance of tricking Andreegys into a trap.
"I can try, it's all that I can do." Lorelei couldn't bear any more sneers in her direction, and she excused herself, leaving the shop to do her part. It was a long shot, she knew that, but she also knew that she might stand a chance if she could convince Byrenion that his role really wouldn't require him to betray his beloved. He would just be the bait, and they would do the rest.
"We will continue aiding all those we can, call upon us when you are ready." Qui'hara clamped her hand on Cliff's shoulder, pulling him along as she also left and entered back into the fray.
"Don't look at me, none of this is in my hands. I'll be here when and if you need me, don't ask for anything else." Toby warned, heading to the door and pulling out his phone, texting Monica of the newest development. Percy remained where she was back in the shop, looking after all their friends that had just left. The ones who didn't know all the work that Blair had put into figuring out the spell, the things she'd sacrificed. How she'd put her own life on hold to see it through, even though she could've died. Even though she still might because of the plague that she was afflicted with. It earned her a sympathetic look from the ghost, but she was in no mood for sympathy.
The same couldn't be said for Wellever, however, and it was clear that he was looking for a little bit of empathy. He stumbled through the lobby of the Monica Wright Foundation, diseased, finding that he earned more looks of disgust than anything else. Whatever, that was fine, he tried to ignore it as he considered that there was really only one look that he really cared about. And true to what he'd been fantasizing about, the boss' expression when he burst into the office was exactly what he'd been expecting.
"You're alive," Vorne was on his feet immediately, rushing over to him and throwing his arms around him despite the clearly visible signs of the plague that covered him. "I'd started to fear the worst."
"No need to worry about me, sir, you ought to know I'm more resilient by now." Wellever smiled, his joy interrupted by the usual coughs.
"I never had a doubt. But I've still been worried sick, my men have been scouring this city looking for you!" A lie, of course, but the angel faced boss knew that he believed it. "Look at you, caught up in this mess. Where did you run off to? It's not a good time to be going rogue when all of this disaster is at a head. What was so important, huh?"
"Well, I, you see," the British minion seemed to have lost his words, and he fumbled for an answer. All along he'd been thinking about the sweet reunion, and not what came after. It would've been one thing, his betrayal, had he actually been able to save his lover's life. But he hadn't been able to, and so his betrayal was nothing more than just that.
"He was with me." Andreegys was calm, and they both turned to find him sitting on the desk, legs crossed as he leaned back seductively, making good use of Myrna's slender form as he stretched it out. "Still should be, though I suppose there's a story to be told there. No matter, he will still meet his end regardless, the same as you."
"What's going on here? What does he mean you were with him?" Vorne addressed his henchman, already beginning to put the pieces together. But the underling didn't get a chance to explain himself.
"You should look into acquiring more trustworthy help, old friend." The silver eyed immortal demanded their attention with a dominant smile. "It was his grand ideals that made him think he could save you-betray you, as it were, in order to convince me to spare your pathetic, fleeting life. Yet he failed even me, bringing me nothing more than his knowledge of a secret meeting you held with the mother of the abomination-Dede Fletcher."
"There is no secret." The boss was adamant, glancing hostilely over his shoulder at his subordinate, shocked at the betrayal. Many things could be said about Wellever for sure, but disloyal was not one of them. Until now. "The business I have with her is nothing that would concern someone of your stature."
"Even now, when you are already trapped in the ring of fire, you dare to lie to me. I've spoken with her myself, you see, and she was very forthcoming with all the things you thought you could keep hidden. I now know what you've done; how you waited until I was no longer looking to tamper with fate-to ensure her son would take Tobias' place, so that you could save him. Because you love him."
"Like hell I do, looks like you've been getting your information from less than credible sources."
"Wait, I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand." Wellever would've usually been too afraid to speak, but he was feeling his own betrayal, and the broken heart that threatened him made him dumb. "You're in love with the hybrid, Toby Warren?"
"Speak not, little man. Especially of things you've yet to comprehend." Andreegys silenced him without so much as a look. His attentions were focused elsewhere, on the boss, and he grinned again. "Fool me once, I'm actually surprised. Fool me twice, well, never again. For a mortal she was wise, opening my eyes to things I hadn't considered. Things I wouldn't have. You cannot deceive me this time, I know you love him."
"No, I don't." Still, Vorne insisted.
"Then shall we kill him? Or better yet, perhaps we will tell him the truth. Of who you are, or what you did." The old god was triumphant, calling his bluff because he knew he would break. When he acted as if he was about to leave, to head out and do just that, it all fell apart.
"Wait, please. You can't do that." The boss caved, unable to look his adversary in the eye because he was ashamed of his failure. There was a lot of that recently. Failure to reobtain Byrenion, failure to usurp Andreegys. "What do I have to do, how do I make this go away?"
"Give me what I want. You will lend me your power, help me purify Byrenion's new vessel so that he is no longer plagued by the scourge of humanity. Allow him to return to what he once was, you owe me. You promised me a perfect vessel, remember? Perhaps you took the first one away, but I expect you to repay that debt now." Andreegys laughed, disappearing with one final warning. "When I next return, you'd be wise to have made the necessary preparations."
"Well, that was something." It was Monica who surprised the both of them this time, standing in the door. She looked at her boss, "may I speak privately with you for a moment?"
"I think that'd be best, not everyone can be trusted," he cleared his throat, turning his stare to his underling. "Never in a million years did I think you would be the one to go behind my back. That's not the kind of thing I tolerate, especially not from my most trusted advisor-the one who knows almost all of my secrets! You will leave, now! I can't have you here, and I need to fix this."
"No, please, you can't!" Wellever pleaded. "You must understand my reasons, sir-I only wanted to save your life! If you send me out there on my own I will die, if not from some unsavory demon then surely from this terrible plague that I've contracted. All of this I've done for you!"
"And now," Vorne was soft, going over to him and giving him one last kiss. The moment their lips touched there was a spark of magic, and his power transferred into him, healing him and causing the black nodules to disappear. "I've done this for you. Get out." He was cold as he turned his back, pretending not to hear the pleas of his minion. But Wellever understood he would get nowhere right then, and he walked passed the judgmental eyes of Monica, who he could hear clearly in his head, telling him that she had been right all along. But he'd done what he thought he had to, and there had to be comfort in that.
Meanwhile, Lorelei was gathering her strength in preparation for what was to come. She did not find Byrenion in the corner, staring at the door motionlessly as he would've been on any other given day. That was the first sign that something was wrong, though it didn't matter because she knew she still had to try. She found him eventually, meditating alone in a far off room of her expansive flat. Surely he could sense her presence, even if she hadn't made all the noise that she had, but he did not turn, not even bothering to acknowledge her presence. She was not dissuaded.
"I know I'm the last person who has any right to ask a favor from you, but here I am." She humbled herself before him, believing that he would react better to it. "We need your help."
"You are right." It took him a full minute before he responded, raising his head and opening his eyes, though she was behind him. "I have been confused, allowed the memories that have attached themselves to this shell to control me. I believed it best to come here, believed it to be safe-all because that was what he believed. Austin." Now he stood, turning to look at her. "But you feel nothing for me, not love nor care, neither fear nor respect. I am still but a tool to you, you prove this by coming here and asking more from me. You take and you take, and you give nothing in return."
"No, that's not fair," her head shook back and forth with vehemence. It was clear the wisdom that was in his eyes, but she still needed him, and it wasn't completely because of their mission. She tried to keep herself from becoming emotional. "It's not fair that I can't look at you without remembering him. It's not fair that you were put there without your knowledge or consent. Many things aren't fair, and you holding my feelings against me is one of them. I won't ever be able to care about you-not like that-I'm sorry, I just can't. But I am human, a lowly mortal as you say, and I still have a heart in me. You're torn and lost, nothing makes sense and you just want to find your way so desperately. We are very much the same."
"We are nothing alike. I am a god and you are the dust that I wipe from my feet." His words were hard, absolute, and she felt as if she were looking at a completely different person. "I am a king, and you are the scum that worships beneath me. You believe that I am torn? My path has never been clearer, and I will walk it the way it has always been destined."
"Well," Lorelei cleared her throat, composing herself before she tried again. It wasn't like anything she had said to him was a lie, but humbling herself before him also meant she had to be open. She hid nothing from him now, even if she didn't think he deserved to see. "I don't believe that. I don't want to rehash the past, things we've already discussed, but take Andreegys for example. He's in a human-one who isn't dead, who probably has more to say to him than Austin has to you. Yet he still does evil. You do not, and I refuse to believe that's all Austin's doing. I believe you want to be good, and that's what I'm asking from you. I'm sorry if it seems like I keep taking, but I don't know how to do this without your help."
"Then how did you survive all the trials before my resurrection? Surely you had no divine help then." Byrenion waited, knowing she had no answer to that. He took her silence as confirmation, and continued. "I have grown weary of playing the fool. You have let me stay so that I might assemble my thoughts, and as I've said, my path is clear. I will leave this place, you, and I will not look back. For this small token of your devotion I will remember all you've done, but when we next meet do not forget that we are not allies."
"You're making a mistake, and you'll regret it." She called after him, impudently. It slipped out, and the way he stopped proved to her that she had been rash. So she hurried to explain. "I didn't mean it like it sounded. All I'm trying to say is that I know something about regret. Ever since," her words left her and she had to really force herself to say it, "I lost my baby and his father, I've been walking around like nothing mattered. And I really thought that nothing did. And that's the mistake you're about to make, and I guarantee that somethings going to happen, and it's going to wake you up, but it'll be too late. By the time you realize that you're ruined, you're worse off than you thought, and you've ruined everything else around you too. There's no way to come back from that, trust me."
He slowly glanced over her shoulder, appearing as if he still had something left to say. Perhaps he wanted to tell her that he thought she was right, or maybe that he didn't trust her. But whatever it was he decided it was best to remain silent, and he said nothing else to her as he put his eyes ahead of him and left. It was hard for her. Not so much him walking away, but because in her attempt she had bared her soul to him, and he had taken that for granted. So she was alone in her truth, unable to escape the wound she'd opened, and she wished she could return to the time when she'd felt nothing.
Yet Cliff wished that he could return to feeling everything. Well, part of him did anyway. It wasn't like he could feel regret, or yearning for the things he'd lost, so it was hard to miss that. But there was the emptiness, and the way it sat like a stone in his gut, weighing him down and making its presence known no matter what he was doing. Even in his dreams he was tormented with the emptiness, and if the only way he could be free from it was to go back to how he'd been then he could almost feel like he cared. Though, that wasn't the only way he could think to alleviate the gnawing as he continued on his mission with Qui'hara.
"All these people are dying from Andreegys' little ray of sunshine, what's the point of even patrolling, it's not like we can save any of them." He complained. That was simply how it had to be-him complaining-but the truth was that he knew he wasn't being forced to be there, he could return to his home at any moment. But this was another alternative that he toyed with. Part of him was more than willing to go with her like this, knowing that if he played fast and loose with his life then he might end up losing it. He couldn't feel fear, or worry, so the prospect of death did nothing to him, aside from assuring him that he would finally be free from the emptiness.
"These people are weak; take one look about you and you will see that they are easy prey for those who would wish to do them harm. The demons and monsters in this city relish a meal they need not put any effort into." She answered his question as if it was actually legitimate, purposefully ignoring the complaining.
"And that's you, huh? The good little girl who always plays protector over everyone else. You don't know these people, they sure as hell don't give a hot damn about you, and yet you haven't slept a wink since all this started. Why? You don't think someone's going to give you a medal or something, do you?" Cliff continued to tease her, snickering, if for no other reason than it gave him something to do.
"I have no care for your worldly possessions." Qui'hara was fast to shut him down. "In my tribe we are taught from birth to always be honorable. What is the point of your life? To collect many things, fall in love? My people believe that the only worthy thing one can do is contribute. To put back into the world what we have taken out of it. To carry out what someone else may not be able to do. Every being serves a purpose, and all together we constitute this earth. If I do not protect these people, who will? It is that simple."
"And yet not even you believe that, isn't that right? I mean, you did fall in love." He shrugged. "So there's more than duty, and honor."
"Yes, it is a lesson that I failed to learn until much later in my life." Her eyes were inquisitive when she turned to look at him. "It was a truth that I believe to have always been there-as it surely is with all living things, all my people. Yet it was only buried."
"Wait, are you doing that reverse psychology thing on me right now? Well quit, I don't like it. Nina was wrong; there's nothing left inside of me."
"Aside from the emptiness, of course. But what you fail to realize is that empty is a feeling too. Do not fool yourself into believing that I am unaware of your reasons for shadowing me these past days-I know you have no regard for your own life, or what may come. Is that not desire, wishing for the end? Is that not also a feeling?"
"Look, you're not me, okay?" Suddenly he changed, and no longer was he lighthearted. He was darker, and he didn't like how she was inside of his head. "Nina's dead, don't you think that if there was anything left of me that I would care that she's gone? But I have no tears for her, because it didn't matter."
"Yet you continue to bring her up to me, more than anything else. And when you do, you are angry. Do you realize this?" Still she was wise, and she waited for a moment. "If it did not matter, then you would have let it go, forgot about it. But you did not, and the very fact that you revisit her over and over proves the point. I am aware that it is not my place, I am not the one who should be teaching you how to be human, but everything that you were is not gone." Qui'hara watched him look away, fumble for the words he could not find. Even without a soul it was clear to her that he was not completely gone, and with an awkward pat on his shoulder she returned to her patrol, back to her task.
Toby was also working on his own task over in a different part of the city. He was aware that Lorelei had failed to procure Byrenion-thanks to a group text-but before anyone could throw in the towel on the plan, he volunteered himself to try. He knew he would not find the immortal at Lorelei's any longer, but he had a strong suspicion of where he might go. That was what propelled him, and surely enough he found what he was looking for. Trying to decide what to say was the hard part as he came to a standstill, but he knew he had to figure it out.
"How did I know I would find you here?" He began, the words sounding forced and overplayed.
"Your sorrow clings to you, rolling off like a toxic wave. It disgusts me." The fuchsia eyed god retorted, the familiar and confusing feelings of his body already starting up. But he tried to resist them, to remember just who he was. He pivoted, anger in his eyes, to behold the lover of his host.
"This is the field where he," the dark haired hybrid began, stopping and sighing heavily, "where they died. Am I not supposed to feel something about that?"
"It is also the place of my birth, and you cannot trick me. The sorrow that you've soaked in merely followed you here, beating closer to your heart when you look at me. Just as your lust does. I can almost pity you, such a pathetic creature. Is this what you want?" In an instant the immortal shed his silvery cyanotic skin and fuchsia eyes, and his voice became very much human. He became as Austin, and he was angry. "I am not him. He is not here. You will learn that this is my body!"
"That's not why I've come," it was hard for Toby to keep his cool, because he was hurting and he had some anger of his own. But they needed him, and so he controlled himself. "Me and him, that doesn't matter now. You're what's important, and we have a real shot at something here. You don't have to betray Andreegys, this spell we want to do won't kill him-it'll just get him out so we can get our friend back. Haven't we lost enough already?"
"You say it is not about him, yet you speak of Austin again. What of this spell, then? Who will be next, what happens when you think to turn your magic on me, wishing to save something that cannot be saved?" Byrenion wondered aloud, still caught up on that and unwilling to let it go. He tried to be rational, to consider the very human emotion that he was having trouble naming as it ran through him.
"I already told you this isn't about Austin." This time Toby had to grit his teeth to keep from going off on him. So much for Monica's idea, clearly Byrenion wasn't as willing to please him as she'd thought he'd be.
"As if I can believe you. Austin is dead, what do you think would even become of this body were you capable of drawing me out? Nothing remains on the inside, it is as I've been saying. It is a shell. Hollow. The bone, the muscle, the vital parts of him-all liquefied in the divine and ancient light that brought me back to life. I am the heart that keeps this carcass moving, nothing more." The immortal could see the effect his words had, how something seemed to break inside of the human when he spoke. It made him feel strangely happy to see him in pain, like it satisfied that feeling he'd been unable to place before. But he recognized it now-jealousy.
"I swear to you," still the hybrid pressed on, his words breaking like his heart did as he placed his hands on the god's shoulders, surprising him. "It's not about him. Our only interest right now is saving Myrna, because she can still be saved. We aren't even ending a life to do that, so please help us. We need you. I need you."
"No. I cannot." It was all Byrenion could say as he pulled away from him, returning to his true form. He did not refuse him by saying he would not, because that would've been a lie-he very much wanted to help him, because to see the look of heartache on the hybrid's face cut at him suddenly, and he was filled with some regret. But he was trying to distance himself from his shell, to remember who he was and what he was deserving of, and if he allowed the feelings he felt for Toby to control him then he would never get there. So he could not help him, and he offered him one last look before departing.
Yet Blair was still waiting patiently back at the shop for word of Toby's success, knowing that their plans rested on it. It was the first time in days that she had time to breathe; to just sit and relax instead of having to work tirelessly for the answer. It was nice, and every moment meant the world to her because she knew what was coming. But Percy wasn't so eager to let her revel in her solitude, and she floated just behind her, counting down the seconds until it seemed appropriate to nag her again.
"You're going to have to run it by me again, because I'm still not understanding. You've finished the exorcism, cool, so why not focus on healing yourself of this plague next? You don't have an excuse not to now." The ghost didn't mean to sound so pushy, but it was only because she knew that the alternative was literally death.
"Sometimes you must simply take things on faith, my child. You said you were a believer, yes? Then believe in me, I have my reasons. I've been incredibly grateful for the friendship we've shared, Persephone, and I know you will be a valuable asset it helping Myrna come to grips with the things that have happened. It's been an honor to aid her, it's given me great joy to know I was a help in bringing her back." The sister went silent for a moment, "but I need you to understand something. This spell is a one shot deal. The kind of power that I'm calling on, divine power, well, it's not something that will be given a second time."
"Yeah, one shot, I got it, we won't mess this up. But that still doesn't make me feel any better, so quit trying to get out of this. You need to take care of yourself, before we lose you too." Percy was stern.
"I will be fine, I promise, I've received my reassurance from God. Now I need a reassurance from you. I've already told you there will be a price, but I'm not the only one who will have to pay the due. Someone else will have to as well, and I believe very much that no one else will be able to. I need you to promise me that you will; that you'll do what needs to be done when the time comes." Blair charged her with the task, an ominous quiet erupting between them that was broken by the buzzing of her phone, and then a sigh after reading the text. "It's Toby. Byrenion won't help us."
"So that's it then?" The specter latched onto that, unsure of how to respond to what came before. "How the hell are we supposed to get Andreegys into our trap without him?"
"You just need to get creative, that's all." Vorne boomed as he walked through the door, the little bell doing little to predict his entrance. He came to a stop and looked at them, then back to Monica, who had also come with him. "Who needs bait when you've got a powerful warlock with more than enough juice to pull together an insanely potent summoning spell? I mean, that is if you don't mind us joining the team. We hear you've got a plan to seriously mess up Andreegys. We're in. Let's nail the bastard."