Cassandra Pendragon
Cloud nine wasn't only an airy metaphor, but an actual place. Whether by coincidence or as a romantic gesture, Ahri had used her flames to create a curtain of eight clouds underneath us while we rested on the ninth. Without her it would have been freezing cold under the stars, but the constant heat she still gave off like a furnace made me feel warm, comfortable, loved. We were huddle together in our small kingdom of moonlight and vapour, the outside world forgotten for the fleeting, rapturing moment, the here and now more important than the whispers of tomorrow.
I leisurely played with her silky, ethereal tresses while the scent of pine trees slowly lulled me into a daze. The shadow of a solitary eagle was circling close by, but the bird was more cautious than curious and with an irritated squawk it dove through the silver cotton blanket and vanished from view. I stared at the spot where it had disappeared for a moment longer before I closed my eyes and allowed myself to sink deeper into her warmth.
I relished in the smooth, soft feeling of her skin against my back and in the tantalising jolts of magic that coursed through me whenever our wings touched. I savoured her lingering, sweet taste on my tongue and I basked in the heat that still enveloped us like the warm breath of spring. In short I was content and more than prepared to let nightmares be nightmares for a few more hours, but even the handful of stolen, blissful moments already weighted on my conscience.
"You first or should I," I finally whispered regretfully. She hummed as I felt her fingertips trail up my sides and towards my neck. Goosebumps erupted along their meandering path and with a playful smile she pulled my mind into hers. I shivered when she buried her head against my neck and caressingly kissed the tender skin, the velvety sensation on her lips an enticing promise that complemented her unspoken reassurance beautifully.
"Me first," she purred and her warm, moist breath sent a surge of desire through every curve of my body. Goddamn vixen, this conversation might become much more… heated than I had anticipated. "Thanks for letting me sort through my memories in peace, Cassy. I don't know if I'd have done the same." I shrugged, which made my tails slither up her thighs and her stiffen in response. Two could play that game.
"Anything for you, darling," I chuckled throatily. "Are you finally going to tell me what all the secrecy has been about?"
"The past and the future, as always. You left me a message. That is, Lucifer left Aurora a message. One she received before she became me. In it… can I ask you something?"
"Always," I answered quietly. Her mood had changed. She was… anxious. I could feel it.
"I know it doesn't matter to you, but you're the only one who can actually compare the strength of immortals. Was Aurora… am I weak? And please, spare me that courage and wisdom crap. You know what I mean." I blew up my cheeks and finally opened my eyes again when a small smile tugged on the corners of my mouth. I had been waiting for that question for quite a while.
"Usually I'd ask you what you think, but the answer seems plenty obvious. You know my thoughts. Do you think I'm somehow lying?"
"No, but I'm not so sure how much of what you… feel is true and what's basically infatuation."
"Ah, I see. Then… no, you aren't. You once told me that I had never learned how to fight because my transcendent abilities render any other contest mute. That's… just not true. It has taken me a while to figure out, but I'm not bad with weapons, nor magic. I'm actually pretty talented, even compared to other immortals. I just suck in comparison to you. True, your talents are less useful than mine, but they're still more than enough for someone as apt as you. For example, I'm almost certain you could suppress most of even Sarai's flames as you are, despite the difference in age and evolution. And you're basically a genius when it comes to combat, magical or mundane. If you want a ranking, I can't give you one, but you're definitely amongst the stronger members of our race, maybe amongst the strongest."
"Including the Corrupted?"
"No… I'm sorry, but aside from myself and maybe the knights of hell, if there are any left to begin with, no immortal can face one of them alone. In groups, though… I think the Corrupted lose much of what made them unique as immortals. Which means they're very similar. I don't think an immortal could face a Corrupted, but I do think that maybe a dozen could win against twelve of our fallen brethren. More precisely I very much hope so, otherwise we're probably doomed."
"What about you? With… once you're whole?" I shrugged again, less playfully this time.
"Who knows? Maybe I'll be able to best a few. But there are probably many more. Maybe hundreds. I… I've said it before. It's looking grim. Hell has fallen, heaven… is even worse."
"And what if you could… change them? What if… Corruption was yours to control?" My ears twitched and my tails tightened around her. Hesitantly I asked:
"Ahri… what have you seen?" She sighed.
"Not that much, but it's dangerous enough that I understand why I didn't remember before. I… we've talked about the First War before. Do you remember the second… I don't even want to call it an artefact, but the second relic you used to force our family to make peace?"
"The source I called it. I remember. Do you know what it is?"
"More or less," she nodded. "And I even know where it is. But that's where the problems begin. The Silver City, Hell… what do you actually remember about our home?"
"Not much. Definitely not their creation. Wait… Gabriel built the walls of the Silver City. That much I know."
"So practically nothing. Just as well… both have been created with the very source you used. It's a fulcrum that can balance transcendent energies and with it… they can be changed. We can be changed. Or rather… merged, I think. You weren't very clear with your explanation. Bottom line I think it can be used to cleanse our siblings. And I'm decently sure that only you and I can try to do so. Maybe Sarai, once she regains her equilibrium."
"Why… because we aren't purely immortal. I see. Why did you say control, then?"
"Because change can mean much more than a simple reset…" I hissed in surprise and turned my body until I could look into her eyes. She answered my gaze openly without even a hint of reluctance, the moon, bright and cold and high above the sea of clouds a silver simmer in her multicoloured eyes. I frowned. Wasn't her suggestion the exact same thing Michael had done… was doing which had buried us under that particular mountain of shit in the first place?
"Let me explain," she continued while the corners of her luscious lips were twitching as if she was trying to suppress a grin. "Corruption is the perverted counterpart of transcendent forces, born whenever transcendent spells lack a counterweight of sufficient strength, right?" I nodded hesitantly. "It can happen either when a mortal dabbles in magic far beyond their reach or when the balance between our people crumbles," she added, almost as an afterthought.
"I know all that," I interrupted impatiently. "What's you point?"
"Think, Cassy. Corruption is still a part of us. The source can change us. Why shouldn't it be able to turn Corruption itself back into what it once was? Or, better yet, maybe it can be used to teach a pure immortal how to do it or change them into something that's able to."
"And Lucifer… and I told you all that," I asked sceptically. That didn't sound right. If I had known back then… why had I risked everything on a desperate gamble somewhere in the Void?
"In your typical cryptic fashion, yes." I sighed and kissed her forehead.
"And you're quite sure that it has been me?"
"I… who else could it have been? You used your friends to send me a message, Cassy."
"But why? Because only you would think to come to Earth? And because you must have found out something else had happened to do so? That's all fine and good, but why not use a spell to communicate with you? Better yet… if I knew all this, why haven't I acted on it before?"
"Why does it matter," she huffed. "It's a chance."
"Unless something else entirely is waiting for us. I… I've told you about the first time I've met Lucifer, haven't I? It was just after we had escaped from Boseiju. He told me to be wary of anyone who spends time with Michael alone. And you, my love, have been very close to him for quite a while." Her expression froze, but she quickly scowled in anger at the mere suggestion. Unfortunately there was also a tinge of worry mixed in there.
"Are you implying that he might have manipulated some of my memories," she asked, her voice sharp and crisp with an almost imperceptible tremor. "Why mine? Why this one?"
"Seriously?" I tried to sound calm, but I was just as anxious as her. "Manipulating you is pretty much the same as manipulating me directly. And this one… maybe because he wants us on Earth to retrieve that thing while he's watching? We already know that I've managed to seal in Gabriel for aeons. What if Michael can't get through my enchantments? What if he needs us to do his dirty work?"
"Why," she mumbled quietly. The jolt of anger was gone, replaced by a growing flame of fear. "Why do you think that?" I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes.
"I know what this is about. Even if I'm right, it definitely won't be your fault and it won't have anything to do with you being weak. Please, Ahri, you're better than this. There isn't enough room for more than one idiot in this relationship and the spot is already taken." She reached out and gently flicked my ear. With a warm smile I added: "Besides, I'm not sure if that's even the case, but it is a possibility, isn't it? Tell me honestly, do you think you'd know if our brother did something to your mind or your memories back then?"
"It's his speciality," she admitted grudgingly. "If I had been on the lookout… but I wasn't. Not until… I think I would know, but there's a decent chance I'm wrong. Is there a way to find out?"
"Memories that were manipulated during your previous incarnation? If there is I don't know it. Would be great, though. Because if you're right… I think I could go to Earth. Today, if push came to shove." Her eyes went wide.
"How… your cube." That was the downside of our connection. Surprises were a thing of the past. "Holy hell," she breathed, "your trip wouldn't even register. You spent so much time in the Himalayans tinkering with that thing to make sure it would be impervious to transcendent wards. You could…"
"Actually go there today without anyone being the wiser," I nodded. "Provided I have a way back and a reason to do so. Both seem kind of iffy to me. Even if everything you've said is true… what are we supposed to do with that thing now? It's been safe for years where it is. Why not leave it there a while longer?" I turned back around and her tails enveloped us like a blanket of soothing flames while she again buried her face in the nape of my neck.
I took a deep breath and savoured her presence before I quietly added: "when's the second shoe going to drop? That's been part of it, but not the reason why you've wanted me to stay out of your thoughts." She groaned, the vibrations a gentle caress against my skin.
"Do I really have to say it," she complained in a muffled voice.
"I can also guess or start snooping around, whatever you prefer."
"Fine, I confess. I was thinking about ways to increase my strength and I thought there was something there. Satisfied?"
"Far from it. What have you come up with?" Her frown felt like the touch of a butterfly.
"You… I thought you'd try to dissuade me. Aren't you going to…" I sighed deeply.
"No, I don't think so. Depends on what you're going to try, though. If it doesn't result in assisted suicide, I won't. Look, this is something you've got to decide for yourself. I do have an opinion and I'm not thrilled, but I'm still going to help to the best of my abilities. So I ask again, what have you come up with?"
"Nothing substantial, it seems. At least for now. Unless… what do you plan on doing with the angel in your ring?"
"I haven't really thought about it. The immortal the energy once belonged to is already dead. There's no personality, no memories left. None. It's worse than what I did to Gabriel. If it had been a demon I would have tried to use the core to help Sarai, but as it stands…," I shrugged. "I think Lilith knows more about it than we do, but, unfortunately, I've never taken the time to listen to her properly. Do you want to use it? How?"
"Beats me," she admitted. "If we had the source… but we don't and it doesn't sound like you're very eager to go and get it."
"Unless there's a really good reason. And: there's a chance we could use it to do something doesn't quite fit the criteria. If it's about strength… you do know that I'd willingly share mine, don't you?" She kissed my shoulder.
"Of course I do, but that's hardly the point. Whatever I'd gain you'd lose. Which means we'd be back at square one with us probably dying together on some far away star. Thanks but no thanks… You don't believe it's going to work whatever I try, do you?"
"No… I don't. I'd be much more enthusiastic if I thought there was a chance, but… born with, stuck with. We're old, Ahri. As a people we're unbelievably old and while it's true that we can evolve, I don't think we can change our magic. If it was possible… don't you think Amazeroth would have tried ages ago?"
"Maybe he is right now," she mumbled. "Don't you… I'm by no means belittling Lucifer, but do you honestly think your last incarnation could have bested a true immortal before his ascension?"
"I… really can't say. I don't even remember my childhood. The earliest memories I have of him are already linked to war. I know I was someone else before, but there's a huge gap between the end of Lucyfera's life and my first recollections of his. So… maybe? Truth be told I think so."
"Hmm, I don't. And if I'm right…"
"We're doomed," I interrupted her. "I am where I am today because of how much we've suffered. If that's what it takes I don't have it in me to continue on this path until the end." Her arms snaked around my neck and her tails tightened around my waist when she pulled me deeper into her embrace.
"I don't know if you'll have a choice," she whispered. "What did Lilith say? His plans reach much further than Gaya. Think about it. A few minutes ago you told me that I was probably able to suppress Sarai's flames. That shouldn't be possible." I kissed the back of her hand.
"Hopefully that's just you, darling. I've already told you, you're unbelievably strong."