Chapter 19 — Fulfillment
Fallon:
My army prepares as we wait for the blood moon to clear the velvety sky. Adjusting my black armor, I look at Brielle. She’s standing quietly behind me, wearing a black tank top and yoga pants that mold to her body like a second skin. She had to tell me what each item was because I had never seen such garments. I don’t know why Lilith dressed her in such a manner. But then again, Lilith is also dressed in a similar ensemble, except that hers is red.
As soon as the moon turns crimson, Lilith casts a spell that reveals the curtain that separates the earth from other worlds. Weaving forward, I lead my army into hell.
As we march, I look around hell’s desolate landscape. Hell is exactly what I imagined it would be with its barren ground and hideously twisted vegetation. The trees are grotesque husks of wood, and the ground is the color of rust. When I look at the sky, I grimace at its portentous mixture of red, black and gray. The oppressively hot air falls around us like a cloak.
Just as we’re about to reach Lucifer’s large acropolis, I spot a single leather-clad figure standing in the center of the rugged terrain. Holding my fist up, I halt my army and walk toward the male. As soon as I’m within sight of him, I identify him as the male I saw in my memory.
“It’s Lucifer!” Lilith calls out.
I narrow my eyes at the lone figure. The male’s eyes don’t stray from mine as he rolls his shoulders and releases his large, leathery wings.
As I take in his appearance, there’s no doubt that he’s my father. Our chiseled features, hair color and sinuous frame, are very similar, but his eyes are pitch black.
“Fallon,” he mutters, “You’re alive.”
“You’re Lucifer?” I ask.
Lucifer’s expression falters. “So, it’s true that you don’t remember me now?” he rubs his chest mournfully. “I felt the tether come undone, but I couldn’t believe it. Why would you do such a horrid thing?”
Straightening my frame, I materialize my sword. “I’m not here to explain a bloody thing to you, Lucifer. I’m here to conquer your kingdom.”
Lucifer looks beyond me and calls out. “How could you do this to our son, Lilith. Have you not learned a bloody thing during your imprisonment?”
Lilith throws her head back with mocking laughter. “Is that what this was about, Lucifer? Did you honestly believe that I would forego all of my plans for vengeance after millennia of imprisonment?”
Lucifer growls in reply. “No, I did not. But I hoped that you’d leave our son out of it.”
His gaze jumps from Lilith to Brielle. “Bree, are you well?”
“I’m fine, Lucifer. Have you…have you seen my sister?”
Lucifer nods. “She’s fine, luv.”
“Enough!” Lilith interrupts. “This is not the time for pleasantries. Kill him and take your rightful place as the Erue.”
Lucifer’s gaze snaps to mine. “You’re the Erue? But how is that possible? The Erue’s supposed to be born of the North Star.”
Lilith laughs viciously. “The seer lied; you fool. Fallon has always been the Erue. The only thing that kept him from turning was your tether. But once he was free of it, his true destiny was unleashed, and now it's time for you to pay,” her lips curl, and her mouth practically foams as she shrieks out, “Kill him, my monster! Make him pay for all that he has done and fulfill your destiny!”
Lucifer looks back at me. “You don’t need to do this, Fallon. I can help you re-erect the tether.”
I scoff in reply. “Why would I want to do that?”
Brielle rushes forward, but before she canreach us, one of our demons halts her progress. Undeterred, Brielle calls out. “Please, Lucifer, don’t hurt him! He doesn’t understand!”
Her arms flail as she tries to break free of the demon’s hold. Angry at her position, I move toward her and pull her out of the demon’s arms. “Stop, Brielle, stop!”
She instantly calms but never takes her pleading eyes from Lucifer.
“Enough of this!” I call out to Lucifer as I push Brielle behind me. “You have a choice, Lucifer. Either you fight me here and now, and I spare your subjects, or my army lays waste to you and your kingdom.”
Lucifer cracks his neck for a moment, his eyes growing solemn as he takes in my resolute expression. My arms tense, and my legs spread in a fighting stance as soon as he materializes his sword. The sword is even more impressive than mine. It’s at least six feet in height, with an intricately braided brass hilt and a sharp blade surrounded by black flames.
Prepping for an attack, I gasp, shocked when Lucifer throws his sword at my feet and says, “I will not fight you, Fallon. I’m not like my father. I won’t hurt my own son to appease my pride…” he waves his palms up toward the lit structures behind him. “…none of this matters if I have to kill you to keep it. I gladly forfeit my life to you. I love you, Fallon.”
I’m completely stunned at that moment. Of all the scenarios that I could have come up with, I didn’t expect that Lucifer would grant me permission to slay him.
Moving forward, I look into my father’s bottomless eyes and feel the ache in my chest swell. Lucifer doesn’t make a move to stop me when I raise my sword and aim it at his chest. There’s no malice or rage in his expression. All I see is affection and forgiveness as he opens his arms and waits for me to strike him down.
Deciding, I lower my sword and toss it beside his.
At my gesture, Lucifer lowers his arms and whispers. “That’s my boy.”
Lilith jumps up at that moment, fists held tight at her sides and her face red with rage. “What are you doing!? This is not what we planned, you bloody fool! Kill him!”
I move next to Lucifer and face Lilith. “No, Lilith. I’ve made my choice. I’m not going to kill him.”
This seems to set off Lilith because she begins to curse and rant at us. “You little bastard. How dare you defy me?! I should have killed you as soon as you took seed in my body!”
Lucifer pushes me to the side and confronts Lilith. “Seize this nonsense, Lilith! Fallon is not to blame for any of this. We are to blame!”
Lilith spits and jeers, making her hair flap manically around her. Eyes wild, she walks around him and glares at me.
“You fool!” she grits out. “I will make you pay for your betrayal!” She turns to the demons and shouts, “Kill them all!”
Lucifer and I reach for our swords. Bree stands beside me, eyes wide with fear and determination. Reaching into my duster, I remove a lethal blade and give it to her. “Try to stay out of the way if you can!” I call out to her.
Lucifer snaps his fingers, and a horde of demons descend. One of Lilith’s demons shapeshifts into large serpents and dives for us, but I manage to push Brille out of the way before I bury my sword in its maw. Another demon with horns and hooves releases a loud squaw and rushes toward me, but I run toward it, tackle it to the ground and sink my sword inside of it.
Brielle’s battle cry startles me for a moment. I turn, ready to kill anything that might try to hurt her. But she’s managing quite well. She’s obviously not a skilled fighter, but it looks like she has taken time to learn how to wield a weapon and evade attacks.
While she handles one of the demons, another tries to slink behind her, but I throw one of my knives with precision and embed it into its neck.
Just then, something large strikes my back, nearly bringing me to my knees. I manage to roll forward before it can strike again. The ground quakes beside me, from the demon’s powerful tale. Twirling back, I flip over its head and cut its head clean off.
Another demon rushes forward and whips his powers, tossing me up, but I release my wings, stop my descent and tackle it to the ground. The creature opens its mouth, showing rows of fangs and tries to bite down on my chest, but I kick it away and thrust my sword into its chest.
Three other demons run toward me, their claws and fangs out, but I fly up, twist my sword and cut off their heads in one stroke.
The battle rages as we continue to take down our enemies. “We need to get Lilith!” I call out to Lucifer. “If you can stop her, you can stop the demon’s from attacking!”
Lucifer sidles up to me and takes out two demons before he shouts. “Where is she?”
Pulling Brielle beside me, I slay another creature a look around until I spot a figure beyond the fight. “Over there!”
Lucifer blinks out of sight and appears behind Lilith a moment later. Lilith tries to stab him, but he manages to dodge her hit. Before he can restrain her, she shoots power at him and flashes herself over to me.
“Did you think it would be that easy to take me, my failure?” She moves her hands in front of her, making them glow and fires power at Brielle. As the fire shoots toward her, I push Brielle out of the way and take the hit. My body ricochets back, dragging me a short distance from where I was.
My body vibrates as the power burns through my body. Turning over, I rise to my knees and reach for my sword. At that moment, Lilith blinks in front of me, her face set with fury. “You traitorous bastard! I should have aborted you the moment I learned of your existence. But I’m going to rectify that problem now.” With that final exclamation, she materializes a sacred sword and aims it at my chest.
As if I’m watching the events in slow motion, I hear Lucifer scream out a warning. But before I can react, a small body jumps in front of me, and the knife plunges into her chest instead. A gurgling cry escapes Brielle’s lips as her body collapses into my arms.
“Bree!” I call out.
I don’t know what happens to Lilith at that moment. All I can do is watch helplessly as blood pours out of Brielle’s lips. Holding her to my lap, I clutch her tight and bellow in anguish.
“No, Bree. What did you do?” I ask. Her bleeding chest rises and falls with her halting breaths, and her face grows paler. Seeing that I have no choice but to try, I pull out the sword and use my powers in an attempt to heal the wound. But the wound does not heal.
Bree takes my hand at that moment and gives me a pained smile. “It’s okay…” she releases a pained groan, “I… I love...you…” she mumbles painfully.
My reply freezes in my lips when she begins to choke and cough.
“No, no, no. Please don’t die.” I cry out with emotion I didn’t know that I was able to feel.
My memories rush forward at that moment, followed by all of the emotions I thought I had lost. Looking down, I notice that there’s a golden light spreading across my chest. It doesn’t hurt or burn. In fact, it feels comforting and soothing. Almost as if it’s healing a wound that I didn’t know I had.
When Bree’s breaths grow shallow until she’s barely breathing, I kiss her bloody lips and whisper. “I love you too…”
Just when I think that there’s no hope for her, Lucifer kneels beside me and hovers his palm over her wound. Sweat beads across his brow as he strains to heal her. He looks up at that moment and mutters. “I need you to help me, Fallon. Use your power to bolster mine.”
Doing as he asks, I place my hand over his and combine my power to stream with his.
As the power flows through me, I close my eyes and do something I have never wished to do—I pray.
For what feels like hours but is only seconds, our powers envelop her, and the wound begins to heal. I watch somberly as her color returns, but her eyes remain closed.
“She’s alive,” Lucifer mumbles reassuringly. “Take her to the fortress while I deal with Lilith.”
I look over to where he’s gesturing and see that Lilith is trapped in what looks like a cage made out of power.
Lucifer snaps nudges my shoulder. “Go and take care of your love.”
A gently as I can, I lift Breen in my arms and carry her into the fortress. She feels so small and delicate in my arms, but I can see that her breathing is steady, so I don’t give in to hysterics.
I don’t need to think about where to take her as I rush her to my old chambers. She doesn’t stir as I strip her soiled garments, cleanse her and settle her on my bed wearing one of my old t-shirts.
Still feeling unsettled, I lie beside her and pull her into my arms. By that point, all of my memories have returned. I’m in utter disbelief at what I’ve done. However, I can’t regret how things have concluded. I no longer have to dread the prophecy or watch the woman that I love from afar. I have a soul and am now free to love Bree without repercussion. As humans say, things are most definitely looking up.