Asheda stared at the offered hand.“And you’ll show me my boy?My wife and my baby?”
I can’t.
“I will.”
Great, vaporous tears coated Ruki’s face, disappearing as they fell, turning to nothing.“He lies, Father.He’s lying…”
I am.The thought burrowed deep, excruciating.
Asheda hesitated as though he could hear his son’s voice.
Just on the cusp.
Everything Saer worked for, every soul that slid without meaning through his corporeal fingers, every word spoken in crippling disappointment from his maker, every moment away from his perfect counterpart, every grievous wound he suffered in body and mind from the one he devoted himself to—it all rushed into his throat.Drowning in the seas of his own threatening incompetence, Saer lashed out for the breath of air he needed with desperate instinct.
With pride.
Metaphysically, Saer drew on that aspect he knew so well, ripping it to the forefront.Like calling to like, Saer pulled on Asheda’s own pride, forcing the chief to feel the sin with howling intensity, bringing what was already present to the surface.
Ruki’s father stood straighter.A haughtiness not unknown, but uncommon with its intensity, dug itself in the set of Asheda’s mouth and jaw.Conceit.
Self-assurance.
Arrogance.
Pride.
“The day that I die…” Asheda spoke with newfound confidence.“My spirit flies with you.”He took Saer’s hand.
“No, Father,no!”
“Prepare yourself, Chief Asheda Fireswallower.”Saer exhaled.“You die today.”
Digging his strong fingers further into the back of the leader’s palm, Saer dropped his human guise.He ignited the entire structure in flames, their roar devouring Asheda’s horrified screams.
8
BeforeSaer’smassivesilverclaws took Asheda’s spirit in their grasp, the soul saw its son.Saer opened the link between the place of his creation and the surface to begin the breakneck journey, Asheda’s screaming essence in tow.“My son was there!You swore to me!”
Each word struck like a knife in his chest.
Ruki’s essence was left behind.
It’s for the best.
Saer reemerged, blazing, in the central chamber of Hell while Asheda’s spirit screamed over the fiery roar.
Lucifer’s severe tone cut through all of it, the same command Saer heard not long past.“Silence.”
The soul quieted immediately, and Saer took the opportunity to speak.“Master, I ha—”
“You will be silent as well, Saerkhanum.”The fallen angel’s tired voice reverberated from where It rested next to the final, inertDaemoenic.
Saer swallowed, still clutching the struggling spirit of Asheda.
Lucifer’s exhausted breaths danced upon the crackling fires of Hell, but the fallen angel didn’t move, didn’t even look his way.One hand remained propped on the stony wall in front of It, a fine tremor in the limb, but little else.
The minutes passed, and Asheda’s soul eventually slumped, giving up.That, more than anything, twisted on Saer’s heart in an unexpected way.
