Chapter 212: CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWELVE

My meeting with Hades didn't end well; he's upset at the amount of souls he's had to wipe their memories because of me so that was two hours wasted, sorry I can't go into more details.

I was frustrated then, and right as I go down to hell to get my den up to par with the situation at hand, I was fucking infuriated.

“Gather around, everyone!” I called loud enough to be heard even outside the den.

It was crazy to me how I'd survived these years living among brothers who hated my existence and tried to hurt my demons. But I'd struggled and found a way to create a den that was stronger than every other one down here. I knew this because, more than once, they'd ganged up against us, and we won, sending many of them back to the pits.

But I might have neglected them of recent and I feared they might have a bit of a tiff with me. I was supposed to bring home a queen, ending all ill feelings but once more, I was about to call on them to fight for her.

Nothing made sense out of all of these and if I could see the Fates right now, I'd demand they untie whatever thread they'd weaved to bring me so much joy only to take it back.

But not really; having Aria in my life is a knowledge I'll never be able to wipe away; I'll keep walking around the surface of creation, knowing something was missing.

The only thing I could do was try; try to placate my emotionless father, try to convince everyone to talk to him, and if that didn't work, well, when the six hours were over, I going to have to stop being a fool and face him with all I've got.

That's right; I'd rather stop existing than deal with an existence where I handed Aria over to him.

I sat on my throne, somewhere I'd not been on for a while now. It even felt unfamiliar, and worse, I didn't miss it. I didn't miss spending my time punishing offenders or focusing all my energy on trying to finish the work that Karma left unfinished.

I was doused in peace for the last two years, although there were a few hiccups along the way, but it was the best part of the last millennia for me.

So I wasn't happy to be back, and if I could, I'd leave here and never return. She doesn't want to be down here anyway, and our lives, no matter how short, would be better off together without my father's constant prying.

I stood up immediately.

“I wanted to talk to you about something,” I spoke to my demons who had been waiting for my voice, “but I need to get somewhere first. I need ten of you to stay close to Aria, make sure she's aware of where I am, and make sure Octavio is with her. I'll be back soon!” I sputtered out and disappeared immediately, my mind sizzling with the solution I'd come up with.

I know she'll be shocked about it but it's the only way this can go our way.

I'm half human, half demon.

The moment I lose my demon side, I'll have the protection of the almighty. I'll simply merge my mind with Kaiden’s without the power, though.

I began my journey to the bridge immediately, and I'll be back with a solution.

ARIA'S POV

I was exhausted. Four hours of touching people, helping create a strong barrier, and accepting countless apologies from everyone I came close to had me gasping for air.

“Our lamb needs to rest,” I heard Kiara’s voice from behind me as I touched another Fallen who was looking at me like the sun rose on my forehead. The reverence in their eyes scared me sometimes, especially considering the fact that the last time I saw those eyes, they looked down on me.

I'd energized Fallens from five different districts, and I didn't even need to be convinced to get the hell out of here to avoid collapsing.

Giving him as much as I could, I took a step back, smiled at his encomium of gratitude, and faced Kiara, who looked upset with the man.

She ran a tight ship over here, that's for sure.

“Thank you,” I said to her and followed her back into the house which was livelier now, a sense of warmth returning to it.

People were returning back to their former selves, the intense sadness it held even when I was kidnapped here was gone, replaced by true joy.

“I know you'll be shocked at our sudden change in behavior,” she began as we got into the elevator.

“I assumed the weakness got to you guys, considering all the attacks,” I replied, watching her facial expressions.

I was still wary around her and that wasn't changing anytime soon.

“That is definitely a part of it,” she chucked, “but the entire horde was shocked by an angelic visit. One of us actually made it past the gates of death into heaven. He lived his life differently since the last, worshiped lamb, and he held onto everything she impacted on him, including her energy,” she told me, but I was confused.

“Why didn't that decision spread to everyone else?”

“He hasn't consumed any other energy since hers. He's always felt our style of making them sacrifice too much was wrong and the energy felt wrong as well. We were happy to actually be free of every sort of order, rule, or something hanging over our heads, but he kept screaming at everyone who cared to hear that this path was wrong. He essentially came down here to yell ‘I told you so’ in our faces with a pristine smile. Took us all down a memory lane, and we've all realized how stupid it was trying to force you to be a slave to our desires; it's literally the wrong way, naturally and in every other way.”

“That is crazy, actually; you all genuinely woke up one day and decided to throw away the system that ensured your existence while here and in the afterlife?”

“I'd be a coward to blame the former Anchor, but he sold this dream to us, and it was so perfect; freedom, sin, and free choice. Turns out he was just jealous of the Lambs he was forced to serve in every generation. Now that I'm in that position, that feeling is stupid. I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve you, and I'll do everything to make you forgive me for my previous behavior,” she swore.

I scoffed.

“There's no need to say things you don't mean, Kiara; I've decided to do this for personal reasons, in fact. I'm not stopping any time soon, just tell them it'll be on my time frame, I'd stay alive than not, thank you.”

She smiled as she opened the door to my new room.

“I'll definitely change your mind about me, even if it's the last thing I do with my life,” she promised with steely eyes.

“Good luck with that but right now, I really need to get some rest because I have to go and find Alaric. If you can send someone out to get started on that as well, I'll really be grateful,” I told her, heading towards the bed that was screaming my name.

“He went back to face his father but I'll send some people to check on him. We all owe you our life and we'll fight for you and yours.”

“Thank you,” I whispered as darkness claimed me.