Order of the Shattered Cross: Pt. 10

"What?" Morgan asked and looked down. "Son of a bitch."

"How did Eterna get a body?" Timothy asked.

"Magic works in mysterious ways," Morgan said with a grin. "As does the Creator. Eve was permitted to Heaven, and the crisis was averted, so he found it a suitable reward for such sacrifice. Both of you."

"There were fifty witches who died with us. Was their sacrifice not sufficient?" Timothy asked. Why was Eterna only granted that gift, and not the others who had sacrificed as she had?

"Eterna was consumed by the Void, so went to the realm outside of the Creator's blessings. The witches died in a willing sacrifice to save others. When a person dies, as they did, they've already accepted their death, so don't linger. Their souls didn't remain in this realm for a Void to consume. They were immediately taken to the Creator. Rest assured; they are all at peace."

For years Timothy had played a weekly game of chess with Morgan. In all that time he never found a way to ask him one question he'd always pondered.

"How do your deals work exactly? We don't promise our soul, so what do you get in return?" Timothy asked.

"It's simple. I can't claim something I didn't give you. I can only corrupt it, and claim it at the end," Morgan said. "Someone given everything they want, but for nothing in return, are highly susceptible to corruption."

"You don't need their soul upfront. They'll live a corrupt life, and you'll get it regardless," Timothy said.

"Exactly," Morgan said, smiling at how quickly Timothy understood that. "Which is not to say the corruption is guaranteed. I had one man who asked for success, and all his invested stocks became good investments. He started a company, employed thousands, treated them kindly, remained loyal and respectful to his wife and his children adored him. He's in Heaven. His choices are why he's there.

"The Creator sees his creations tested, and I keep souls to maintain my realm. No one is more tested than after they've received everything," Morgan said.

Morgan looked at the board and knew Timothy's next move was his last. Check and mate.

"As always," Morgan said. The chair and board vanished, and Morgan shook Timothy's hand. "Until next time, old friend."

Timothy watched as he exited the front door of the chapel and vanished out the other side. Indigo heard the door shut, but never saw it open, so peeked inside.

"Who was that?" Indigo asked as she entered and closed the door behind her.

"An old friend," Timothy said with a smile and kissed her when he arrived at the door. "Where were we?"

Indigo closed the door and activated a doorway. She opened the door and pulled him inside of her bedroom and threw him onto her bed.

"You do know how old I am, right?" Timothy asked.

"You don't look a day over thirty," Indigo replied, and slowly slid off her shirt. She expected to be more nervous during her first time. The fact she wasn't, only told her she was ready, and wouldn't regret this decision.

"All I ask, is that you be gentle. It is my first time," Indigo said, and Timothy acknowledged he would.

"Almost feels like Eden again," Timothy said, and she covered her face with her hands still holding her shirt as she blushed.

"I haven't not thought about that since we were there," Indigo said, and revealed her face again. "I just hope reality is close to that fantasy. It feels like an unrealistic expectation."

"We can start with you on top, as is your tradition," Timothy said, standing up from the bed and crossing her bedroom. He pulled the shirt from her hand and tossed it behind him to the floor. "But before we get to that part, you need a few more firsts before you're warmed up."

"Okay," she said shyly. Not nervously, which to her was an important distinction.

"Do you trust me?" Timothy asked, and she nodded.

"With my life."

--

Emily gazed out the window of her new bedroom. She had already determined that everyone, even those who knew otherwise, would call her Emily. It made this transition feel real. She now had everything she had ever wanted. She knew what could happen when people were given everything they wanted. She wouldn't take this for granted.

It was after midnight when Katrina peeked into her door and saw her sitting on the wide windowsill. She had pulled her knees into her oversized nightshirt and hugged her legs to her chest. Earlier that day Katrina had given her a haircut at her request, so her ankle length raven black hair was now more reasonably at her midback.

"I know you're there," Emily said, and Katrina pushed the door open wider. "I'm still a witch."

"Can't sleep?" Katrina asked. Emily shook her head and nuzzled her chin into her shirt between her knees. "What's wrong?"

"I already miss him," Emily said, and sighed. "It hasn't even been a day, and I already miss him."

"I'm sure he misses you too," Katrina said, and Emily unraveled herself and shifted her body, so her feet were dangling. "Do you want to see him tomorrow?"

"No...yes...but no," Emily said and exhaled. "I need to learn who I am without him. I was a spiritual parasite for forty years."

"Don't call yourself that," Katrina said, and Emily placed her palms in her hands and cried. "I had to figure out who I was without him as well."

Katrina walked into her room and leaned against the windowsill next to her.

"I became a nun before I even figured out what being a woman meant," Katrina said, and Emily sniffed loudly and wiped her tears and snot onto her shirt. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to figure something out."

"Lilith," Emily said while shaking her head. "I'm thousands of years old. You'd think I'd have a clue by now."

"You never could grow up, so you never, grew up," Katrina explained, and Emily looked up at her. "Life is finite, and that makes it scary as hell."

"What if I mess this chance up?" Emily asked. "What if I didn't deserve it?"

Katrina pushed herself off the windowsill and went to her knees in front of her. She held her hands and looked into her tear-filled eyes.

"You deserve it," Katrina said to reassure her. Emily climbed off and wrapped her in a hug. Katrina placed her arms around her and picked her up and carried her to bed. Emily crawled under her covers and Katrina kissed her head and started to leave, but Emily grabbed her hand.

"Could you stay. Just for a little bit?" Emily asked.

"Of course," Katrina said, and sat on the edge of the bed. "I know you felt alone for a very long time. You're not alone anymore."

Emily closed her eyes, and Katrina sat by her side until she felt the grip on her hand loosen. She carefully slid her hand away and kissed her goodnight and left the room quietly. Emily's eyes flickered opened for a moment as she left but didn't feel alone when she departed. She closed her eyes, comforted with the knowledge she'd never feel alone again.

--

I'm outlining a sequel, but that won't be until after the next Chase Kramner story. Also, I'll be having surgery later this month (nothing crazy, ACL reconstruction), so I don't know if that means I'll have more or less time to write while I'm recovering.