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ss3890 · 10 months

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NEPHILIM LOST: Adrift On The Currents Of Time

***I have earlier seasons of OM! I should be writing on, but I felt inspired to write the opening of Nightbringer from my MC's point of view. Also the starting lessons for NB were awkward and weird as hell with the new app pushing, so that was, uh...interesting to work around.

It helps that NB is fresh and I'm terribly behind writing for the OG app, but..eh. I'll get there eventually.

Chapter 1: CASTAWAY

Cayrie puttered away in her room at Serenity Manor, getting herself ready for tomorrow’s trip. The room was bright and clean, music filled the space, and she happily hummed to herself as she worked.

After becoming a full-fledged member of Diavolo’s council, she found herself traveling between worlds a handful of times per week. She was an efficient liaison between the human and demon worlds, fetching items for both and popping in frequently to see to her duties as a council member.

Traveling between worlds had become second nature to her at this point, and she had established homes both here and there in the Devildom. In light of that, the bag she packed was very light, filled with little to nothing save a special treat for herself and the boys and some paperwork she’d been working on.

There was no need to shuttle objects between places when she had all she needed wherever she went.

Her DDD rang, causing her to smile when she saw who was calling.

“Yes?” she crooned. “What can I do for you, Lucifer?”

“I’m aware that you’re scheduled to come here early tomorrow morning.” he began, “But I was wondering if you would like to come this evening instead and have dinner with me? If you haven’t yet tired of Ristorante Six, I’d love to make a reservation. I’ll even bring Mammon along, as I’m feeling rather generous today.”

“Oooh, that you are.” she grinned. “And I’m never tired of Risto-six. What time are you thinking?”

“6 o’clock, if that works for you.”

“That works perfectly for me.”

“Great, I’ll see you then. Safe travels, Cae.”

“Thank you, Lu. See you soon.” she replied, looking forward to the evening.

⥈

Packed and ready to go, Cayrie stood in front of the cage to bid her feathered friend farewell.

“I’ll be back soon, Miri.” she crooned, making sure the little starling had enough food and water to tide her over. “Be a good bird, okay?”

Miri churred in response, watching her secure her bag to her shoulder. With one last goodbye to her friend, Cayrie began the incantation that would sweep her away to the Devildom.

“Make a path where there is none…and take me where I wish to go!”

Her power answered her eagerly, the path in her mind’s eye clear as day. In a swirl of light and magic, she was gone from her bedroom in the blink of an eye.

⥈

Seconds into her journey between realms, something went very, very wrong.

She had done this a hundred times already. Nothing should have gone wrong at all, and yet the portal’s corridor turned black and stretched impossibly long, suspending her in a tunnel of cloying darkness she couldn’t find a way out of.

Very quickly, her movement stopped altogether and she was suspended in the void-space alone…or so she thought. The hair raising on the back of her neck told that she did, in fact, have company she couldn’t see.

“Hello, Cayrie” an inky voice called, vibrating all round her. It weedled its way into her mind, making her feel small, and the human knew then that she had been intercepted by a powerful, unknown entity.

“...Hello?” she answered meekly. “...Who are you?”

She could almost feel it shrug. “Perhaps you know me, perhaps you don’t. Regardless…know that I am very well acquainted with you.”

“Okay, well that’s a creepy fucking way to not answer that question.” she snapped back, trying to make out any sense of form in the darkness. “How do you know me?”

“Because you introduced yourself. Very recently, in fact.” the being chuckled, amused with her. “Though, I suppose it might have been quite some time ago for you. It’s clear that I have you worried. Well, there’s no need to be, really - because nothing remains hidden from me. I see everything. And by everything I don’t mean just the present, but the past and future as well.”

“...What?” she asked, her face scrunched up in confusion. “...Th...That doesn’t reassure me at all.”

How many times was it now that formless entities had held and spoken to her? She honestly didn’t know at this point.

“Regardless, it’s nearly time for you to depart, so I can’t keep you here much longer.” the being answered, shifting around her.

“Oh, well, that’s great because I was already on my way somewhere!” she snapped, unable to move herself no matter how she tried to swim in the darkness. “So I would very much appreciate it if we could wrap up whatever this is and get a move on. I have people waiting on me.”

“I’m going to take you someplace better than where you were going.” the entity stated, disregarding her distress. “A place where you’re happy, a place that will bring you more joy than any other.”

“And who are you to know that?!” Cayrie demanded, a feeling of panic turning her gut. “I’m happy enough as it is, so let me go on my way!”

“Oh, I will. However, your way is now to a world where you’ll find those you yearn for, and who yearn for you as well. Ah, but you will need some protection. I’ll gift you a disguise to make things easier for you when you arrive. Daemonos Forma.”

At the entity’s words, tendrils or darkness reached out to touch her, enveloping her in its magic. The words it had spoken etched themselves into her mind as her form tingled and changed into something foreign to her. She could feel extra limbs attached where no limbs had been before, although she was unable to turn and see them properly.

“...No! What are you doing to me?!” she cried, overwhelmed by the presence that assaulted her. “Don’t you dare take me away from here! I don’t agree to this! LET ME GO!!”

“Now, now. Don’t worry. We’ll meet again in time.” it crooned, unswayed by her thrashing. “Though I must admit that Time for me is like a heavy, dark mud. It sits in a big container as it silently and slowly swirls around like a vortex. Will you be entering your own past? Or the past, present, or even future of someone you don’t know?

“But never fear.” the voice continued. “No matter where you go, they will always be waiting for you. Safe travels, Little Nephilim.”

And with that, the power of the entity swept her away, tearing her out of the corridor she had built for herself and into one of its own murky making that made her entire being scream out in confusion and fear.

⥈

Cayrie appeared in the Devildom high above the ground, over the roofs that made up the capital city. She caught a glimpse of the buildings, shining beautifully in the moonlight, before gravity took her and she began to fall.

Something caught her and sent her into a dizzying spiral as she tried to right herself, something heavy on her back that kept getting pushed and pulled in the whipping wind of her descent. She caught a glimpse of them flailing out behind her.

Wings.

Mottled black and white wings that were impossible to get under control. Gods knew she had always wanted a pair, but right now they were nothing more than a nuisance threatening to kill her.

“…Oh god, oh god, oh god…!” she thought, unable to stop or slow herself. “…I’m going to fucking die here…! I’m going to fucking die!”

The ceiling and scaffold of an unfinished building came up to meet her. She crashed through them, tumbling down through the levels of supports until she met a hard stone floor, landing on it with a painful finality that turned her world dark once more.

⥈

“...ey, …..ay?”

Someone was gently shaking her. With a groan, Cayrie opened her eyes to see a blurry figure kneeling over her. It took a mighty effort to focus her vision through the splitting pain of her head and the ringing in her ears.

When she did, she saw a demonic Diavolo looking down at her with concern.

“Thank goodness…you’re awake.” he sighed, relief palpable. “You’ve been out cold for some time. We were really beginning to worry.”

“Hey, you…” Mammon ordered, standing over her, also in his demonic form. “Now that you’re awake, y’know what that means, doncha? You OWE me. I mean, I was the one who noticed ya lyin’ over here and all, so you definitely owe me some sorta reward, right?”

Cayrie just stared at him, completely bewildered. Not only was he being incredibly rude, but his voice was loud and made the pain in her head even worse.

“So, now that we’re on the same page…” he continued, looking very proud of himself, “Gimme all your money! The Great Mammon demands tribute!”

“...Pl…Please stop shouting.” she stammered, wincing as she touched a bloody spot on the back of her head. Her vision kept blurring out, it was hard to breathe, and everything hurt.

“Eh?! You talkin’ back to me?” he exclaimed loudly, bristling at her. “You got a lotta nerve doin’ that. Who the hell are ya, anyway?!”

“Someone who’s obviously injured and bewildered, Mammon. Yelling at this lost little lamb isn't going to do any good.” Asmo chided, looking down at her with pity.

“Ugh, a lost demon? …Lame.” Belphie scoffed, swishing his tail in annoyance.

“Don’t be like that, Belphie. Lost or not, something about her smells good…” Beel noted as he sniffed the air like a bear, wings humming with excitement as he caught the scent of something in her bag. “She’s got some kind of food on her. Good food.”

“Eh, whatever. Kinda fragile for a demon, ain’t ya?” Mammon assessed, looking down at her. “Must be one of them lesser ones. Did someone beat your ass or what?”

“…Um…not directly? I, uh…fell. From the sky.” Cayrie answered, pointing up toward the damaged ceiling.

“You mean to say that you, a demon who has wings, fell from the sky?” Mammon noted, judging her immensely. “You not know how to use those things or what?”

“…Apparently not.” she muttered, groaning as she lifted herself to her feet, stiff and unsteady. If Diavolo hadn’t caught her arm and supported her, she would have gone down again.

Body trauma aside, her new appendages made her feel unsteady and was that…a tail she felt moving behind her?

It was.

“Aaaah! L-L-L-Lucifer! It’s moving!!” Leviathan cried, hiding behind the eldest brother for protection. He stared out from behind his shoulder, eyes wide with horror at the sight of her.

“Leviathan, stop pushing me.” Lucifer chided, irritable as he extricated the younger brother from his wings. “Pull yourself together.”

Levi wasn't the only one looking at her oddly. All of the brothers that stood around her were in their true forms, and all of them looked at her as if they had no idea who she was.

She took a moment to glance around the room and realized that she was in the Council Room on RAD grounds. Though unfinished, there was no mistaking it. It was a room she’d come to know very well.

The entity’s word came back to her in a flash. “Will you be entering your own past? Or the past, present, or even future of someone you don’t know?”

Cayrie was undoubtedly in the past. In which timeline, she had no idea. What she did know, is that she couldn't go on in the state she was in.

“May the vestiges of pain that linger within me be eliminated…” Cayrie breathed, using a healing spell on herself.

It didn’t come easy and took more out of her than it should have, as if the ocean of mana she was used to commanding had dried up to nothing more than a puddle in comparison.

She laid eyes on her left arm and saw…nothing. The skin was white and void of the black marks she’d come to expect there. She kept staring at it, mind numb as she processed what that meant for her.

And that was when she felt the deep emptiness in her belly, even through the wave of nausea that almost choked her right then and there.

“Diavolo, this demon is your responsibility, are they not?” Lucifer asked, annoyed with the distraction that was She. “How are you going to handle this?”

Diavolo looked down to the demon on his arm who still seemed to be a bit out of it in spite of her recovery magic.

“Hmm. What is your name?” he asked gently.

“…It’s uh, Cayrie.” she answered softly, swallowing as she came back to reality.

“Well, Cayrie. As you’ve gathered, we found you lying unconscious and injured here on the floor. This facility — which is still under construction and was close to being finished, I might add — is under the direct authority of the Demon King. So tell me something. What led to you crashing through its ceiling? And now that I think of it…are even FROM here? Because I find it shocking that there’s a demon I haven't met in the Devildom.”

Cayrie took a moment to consider her words. Until she knew the situation better and who was behind it and why, it was probably unwise to come out and tell them the truth. However, she knew full well that Diavolo would know if she tried to lie.

“…I’m a traveler.” she explained. “I move around a lot, often outside of the capital. I was using a spell to travel here from a distant land, and it went wrong. I was intercepted by something. I don't know what - but it sent me a bit…off course.”

“Oh? How unfortunate. There are many dangerous things in the far reaches of the Devildom.” Diavolo uttered, offering his sympathy. “And why were you trying to come to the capital from such a distance?”

“For work.” she answered plainly.

“So you’re in need, are you?” the prince assessed, putting a hand to his chin as he considered her. “Well, as you may already know, I am Prince Diavolo, next in line to rule the Devildom. And the demon you see over there is Lucifer, the Avatar of Pride.”

The Avatar of Pride regarded her dismissively, saying nothing.

It had been a long time since she’d seen him look at her like that, as if she were an annoying gnat unworthy of his consideration.

“Next is Lucifer’s younger brother, The Avatar of Greed, Mammon.” The prince noted, indicating the brother in question. “And next to him is —“

“Listen up, ya nobody.” Mammon interjected, looking proud of himself. “It’s the Great Mammon to you, got it?!”

“Next to him is Leviathan, the Avatar of Envy, as well as Asmodeus, the Avatar of Lust.” Dia continued, unperturbed.

Levi lost his composure the second she met his eye. “Ahhh! L-L-L-Lucifeeer!” he wailed again. “It’s looking right at uuus!!”

Asmo smiled happily in response. “Hehe, you’re just so smitten by my beauty that you can’t help staring, right? Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, my little lost lamb.” he crooned sweetly, letting her look at him as long as she wanted.

“Now, that brings us to the two demons you see over there…” Diavolo nodded, bringing her attention to Beel and Belphie.

“Belzfuph…after grunty.” Beel muttered, his mouth full of the chocolates she had stowed away in her bag. He didn't care that they were all broken or crushed, or that they hadn’t been his to eat to begin with.

“No one can understand you, Beel.” Belphegor chided with a sigh. “How about you swallow your food before you talk?”

“Mn…gulp…sorry.” the great demon apologized. “Beelzebub, Avatar of Gluttony. And this is my twin brother.”

“Belphegor.” the younger announced reluctantly. “…Avatar of Sloth.”

Cayrie looked between the brothers, noting that all of them were present except for Satan.

“Lucifer actually has one more brother.” Diavolo admitted after a moment, “but…”

A bellow of rage resounded through the halls, feral and full of wrath.

Everyone stopped talking and looked between themselves - worried save for Lucifer, who simply looked annoyed.

“Ugh…” he muttered, glaring daggers at the door behind them.

“Tch, great.” Belphie scoffed. “He’s here…”

“RAAAAHHHHH!!”

With a mighty roar, Satan entered the room, blowing the wooden doors off their hinges and littering the floor with debris.

“Man, he’s in one of his moods again…” Mammon lamented, wanting nothing to do with it. “You’d think he’d get tired of bein’ ticked off all the time.”

Leviathan shrugged in response. “Well, he was wrapped in chains and stuffed inside a closet because he couldn’t control his fits of rage. So yeah, it’s not really a surprise he’s super irritated.”

“...He was what now?” Cayrie breathed, regarding the wrathful brother with wide-eyes. She’d seen him angry before, but the anger coming from him now was a brand so powerful and raw it hit her like a wall.

“Asmo, you did make sure those chains were tight, didn’t you?” Lucifer asked, squaring up with the newcomer.

Asmo looked a bit sheepish. “Well, I wrapped him up like you said, but I’ve got such soft, beautiful, tender hands. They aren’t suited for such a rough job. Honestly, you should’ve known that…”

If Lucifer had been irritable before, he was even more so now.

“The demon who’s just arrived is Satan, Avatar of Wrath.” Diavolo explained quietly, leaning into her a bit. “Remember when I said that Lucifer had one more brother? He’s who I was talking about. There’s seven of them in all, and they’ve only just arrived here in the…”

“You rotten little…” Satan growled, tail lashing the air behind him as he approached the group. “You’ve got some nerve locking me up like that! You’re DEAD, you hear me?! Every last one of you! I’m going to tear you limb from limb!”

“Hahaha, just listen to him…such violent language.” Diavolo chuckled at her side, not at all concerned. “They don’t call him the Avatar of Wrath for nothing. As his title suggests, the only emotion he knows is anger.”

“Lord Diavolo, this is no time to be standin’ around smilin’!” Mammon warned as Satan picked up a table and heaved it at the group.

Belphie flinched as he realized it was heading straight for him, but Beel was there to protect him, letting the table splinter around him as it shattered against his guard.

“You okay, Belphie?” the great demon asked, turning to look at his brother.

“Yeah…thanks, Beel.” The younger breathed, immensely relieved.

“How about you?” Beelzebub asked, turning to find her sheltered from the debris in Diavolo’s wing.

“I’m okay.” she answered, narrowly taking another blow to the head.

“Good. That was a close one. We don't need you getting more injured than you already have.” the prince noted, releasing her from his protective membrane.

“It doesn’t take much to send Satan flying off the handle.” Beel warned, taking a defensive stance. “Then he starts destroying stuff, just like that. Be very careful.”

Seeing that his table failed to connect as intended, Satan reeled with anger once again.

“RAAAAGH! I’ve had it!” he bellowed. “My brothers…this entire world…EVERYTHING!”

“Yikes! Time to hide! C’mon, over here!” Asmo urged as Satan charged them.

“Ugh, why am I stuck with HIM for a brother?!” Levi lamented, following close behind. “He’s terrifying!”

“Well that’s just how it is, right?” Asmo huffed, booking it for safety. “I mean, the Demon King said that we have to consider ourselves brothers from now on, and what that old demon says, goes.”

“That’s right.” Lucifer grumbled, dodging a vicious slash from the blonde. “Unfortunately, we’re new here and in no position to refuse a direct order from the Demon King himself.”

Satan, frustrated that his attack fell short, now turned his attention on her. His murderous intent was a visceral thing as he lunged, seeking to rend her apart.

The Satan before her now was a far cry from the one she’d come to know. This one here was nothing but feral rage, lashing out at everyone and everything around him…but she knew he was so much more than that.

A warm power bloomed in her chest as Cayrie watched him come at her. Her pact marks may have been gone, but she knew that if she wasn’t able to do anything, that she was going to die.

She reacted on reflex, throwing up her arm and bellowing a crippling “Satan, STAY!”

Power rumbled through each of the brothers like shockwave, rocking them as Satan found himself thrown face-first into the ground so hard it knocked him out cold.

Cayrie stood, wide-eyed and breathing heavily as she realized what she’d just done.

There was still a connection between them, even though it was so faint she could barely grasp it before it slipped from her hands once again.

“…Well, how about that?” Diavolo appraised beside her, looking mighty interested in what she’d just done.

“Ugh…what the heck was that?!” Asmodeus whined, shaking off the aftershock of Cayrie’s power.

“I know…it was like my body just wanted to throw itself to the floor when I heard her say stay.” Beel noted, bewildered as he stared at her.

“Hey you!” Mammon demanded, marching up to grab her by the collar of her shirt. “What the hell kind of messed up magic was that?! And who do you think you are usin’ it on us?! Why the hell was Lord Diavolo the only one who didn’t seem to feel it, huh?!”

“Let go of me or I’ll do it again!” Cayrie warned, pulling out of his grasp. He eyed her suspiciously, daring her to try.

Lucifer was right behind him, regarding her as an enemy.

“You.” he growled, puffing himself up. “What did you just do?”

She didn’t have a chance to answer him before Diavolo laughed with merriment.

“Well! I’ve certainly never met a demon like you before!” he exclaimed, throwing a protective arm over her shoulder. “You’re an absolute riot!”

“A riot?!” Mammon sputtered angrily. “Yo, there was nothin’ funny about that!”

“Hmmm…I just had an idea. It must have been fate that brought us together like this.” the young prince mused, looking rather pleased with himself. “Cayrie, with your traveling, I’m not sure how much you know about recent developments, but…Lucifer and his brothers were expelled from the Celestial Realm and cast down to the Devildom following the recent Great Celestial War. They’re still new here, and were originally angels, you see. High-ranking ones at that.

“In light of this, there have been all sorts of rumors flying around about them in the Devildom.” he continued, capturing the attention of everyone present. “To say they’re the talk of the town would be an understatement. Things are rather chaotic right now…which is why I’d like to ask a favor of you.”

“…A favor?” she asked quietly, not sure where he was going with this.

Diavolo nodded. “Yes. Until things settle down here in the Devildom and the seven of them get used to it here, I’d like you to serve as their attendant.”

“Wha…? Our attendant?!” Mammon cried, aghast at the thought.

“Absolutely not.” Lucifer stated firmly, shutting it down immediately.

“Yeah, I’d rather not be stuck with someone who has freakish powers looking after us.” Belphie grumbled.

“I have to admit, I’m still trying to wrap my mind around what she just did.” Asmo noted, looking at her with suspicion. “Cayrie here is no lamb at all!”

“More like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Beel agreed.

“Diavolo, we don’t need an attendant.” Lucifer insisted. “Just because we used to be angels doesn't mean you have to treat us like children. We can learn how to get by here on our own.”

Diavolo dropped his arm and moved forward to speak with Lucifer face-to-face.

“I certainly don’t mean it as an insult.” he replied calmly. “But you must understand that I am the future Demon King…and my father isn't around right now, which means I have final say in all Devildom matters until such time that he returns.”

Lucifer fell sullen and silent, clearly unhappy yet knowing he didn't have a say in this.

“I appreciate your understanding, Lucifer.” Diavolo chimed amicably. “And you too, Cayrie - I take it you understand as well? You’re in want of work and you’ve found it. This is a job you’re not to take lightly, and you’ll be expected to do it well.”

Cayrie met his eye and nodded before bowing her head.

“…Yes, my lord.” she answered, playing the role she needed to in order to survive in this world. “I understand completely.”

⥈

Cayrie gathered up her bag while Beelzebub collected Satan, throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She took a moment to fish around for her DDD only to find it broken, the screen shattered and unusable.

She held it in her hand and stared at it for a long moment, her heart breaking right along with it.

“Are you coming?” Beel asked, looking over his shoulder at her. The rest of the group were already making their way out of the council room, leaving her to trail behind.

“…Yeah.” she uttered, sniffing as she slung her belongings over her shoulder. Letting them see her cry would only bring more unpleasant questions, so she preferred to avoid that situation altogether.

“How’re you hanging in there, Beel? Okay?” Belphie asked as she fell in line behind the twins.

“Yeah, it's just Satan.” he shrugged. “I can usually carry a demon or two without breaking a sweat but…I’m pretty hungry though.”

Typical Beel. His immense strength seemed to be directly powered by how much food he ate, and if he was lacking? He became as weak as could be.

“…What are you going to do if he wakes up on your shoulder?” she asked, imagining that going the way of someone trying to wrangle a pissed off cat - all yowls and claws and bloody scratches.

“Eh, he was thrown to the ground with a lot of force…” Levi uttered, casting a glance at them. “I don’t think we have to worry about him waking up anytime soon.”

“Let’s not forget, our attendant here is the one who did the throwin’.” Mammon muttered, giving her a wide berth.

Cayrie lowered her eyes to the ground. It had been many years since he’d been this bitter toward her, and she found it quite difficult to endure on top of everything else.

Satan stirred a bit and muttered in his sleep, drawing the attention of his brothers.

“Hehe, he looks so adorable when he’s asleep.” Asmo grinned, doting on the unconscious brother. “He’s been out for a while now, yeah?”

“Well, the alternative is having him rampaging around town destroying everything in sight.” Lucifer sighed, casting him a glance. “If it were up to me, he’d stay like that for a good hundred years or so.”

Diavolo stopped and found her, as if something important just came to mind. “…Ah, Cayrie! I almost forgot. It’s important that I can get in touch with you when I need to. Do you happen to have a tablet on you?”

The prince pulled out his own device to show her. It was a rudimentary D.D.D. that seemed to be more powered on magic and glyphs than it was electricity.

“…I did have something like that.” she admitted, rummaging around for the broken DDD to show him. “But unfortunately, it didn’t survive the fall.”

“Oh…! Where did you get this?” he asked excitedly, turning it around in his hands. “The make and materials are quite different from what you can find around here…it’s almost like a different device entirely.”

“Ah, well…it doesn’t matter now that it’s broken.” she uttered, reaching out for the thing. “I’m going to need one like you have.”

“I’ll have one sent to where you’ll be staying, with all of the relevant contact information you’ll need as well.” the prince promised. “It will be very important that everyone will be able to get a hold of you.”

“So…will I be staying at the House of Lamentation with everyone else?” she asked hopefully, wanting the answer to be yes.

Instead, Diavolo’s eyes widened in surprise as he regarded her with a strange look on his face.

“...Come again?” he uttered quietly. “You know about the House of Lamentation? Strange…it has only just been rebuilt down here and the name of it isn’t even public knowledge yet.

“But no, you won’t be living there.” the prince continued, to Cayrie’s disappointment. “That house was built for the seven brothers so that they may have a place of their own. Their arrival sent the Devildom in a state of disarray, you see. Things have actually been quite volatile and have taken some time to settle down. For their own safety, they’ve been cooped up in the castle since they arrived, and today is the first time they’ve been allowed out of it.”

“The House of Lamentation…” Levi mused, having overheard the conversation. “That’s the place that used to be up in the human world, right? The one with a really dark history?”

“Yeah, I heard it’s supposed to be cursed or something…” Belphegor added.

“Eh, whenever somethin’ bad happens, humans always blame it on a curse.” Mammon scoffed, brushing it off.

“But I heard that a family with seven children used to live there, until the oldest one stabbed the rest of them to death, right?” Beel asked, looking for clarification. “His parents, all his siblings…everyone.”

Asmo was aghast at the thought. “What? But that means the curse is still fresh! I bet it’s haunted…we’ll probably see ghosts…eek!”

“Pff, quit bein’ dumb.” Mammon chided. “Demons don’t give a flyin’ flip about curses and ghosts or whatever. Everyone’s afraid of US, not the other way around.”

Cayrie raised her brow at that. Mammon unafraid of spooky things? That was a version of him she’d never seen before.

“Lucifer, I’m hungry.” Beel whined, like a kid on a road trip.

“Lucifer, Belphie looks like he’s about to fall asleep.” Levi noted, watching the slothful brother nod off as he walked.

The eldest sighed deeply to the amusement of Diavolo. “Alright, let’s get a move on.” he urged, leading them down the road.

Chapter 2: COCYTUS HALL

“Wow, now THAT looks like a haunted house!” Asmo marveled as the House of Lamentation came into view.

“Whatever, just move it.” Lucifer grumbled. “You’re holding everyone else up.”

Diavolo and Cayrie stood together on the path, watching the brothers filter into their new home in a flurry of excitable chatter. Not one of them looked back to say anything.

“You’ve been very quiet since I said that you wouldn't be staying with them.” the prince noted.

“I just figured that since I’m to be their attendant, it would make sense for me to stay close to them.” she replied sullenly. “That and I don't know where else to go.”

“I understand you’ve been traveling, but are you saying you don’t have any friends or family here to go home to?” he asked, a bit surprised.

Cayrie cast a glance toward the House. “…No, I don't have any of those.”

Diavolo regarded her thoughtfully.

“Okay.” he said after a moment. “I won’t pry any further. Either way, the House of Lamentation belongs to the brothers. It’s the one place in the Devildom they can relax and be a family. I’ll find another place to accommodate you, since you appear to be in—“

“Cayrie!” a familiar voice called out to her, followed by the sound of jogging steps. She turned around to see Solomon running up to her, a look of relief on his face. “I was wondering where you’d disappeared to. I’ve been worried, you know!”

“…Solomon?” she breathed, bewildered as he came to a stop and put his hands on her arms, looking her new form over. “Solomon…do you know me?!”

“Of course.” he whispered back. “Though with the way you look I was a bit unsure at first. There’s no mistaking that aura of yours, however.”

Diavolo cleared his throat, drawing their attention to him. “Solomon, you got here fast…and it seems that you know Cayrie here?”

“Oh yes, very well actually.” he replied with a grin. “You see, it just so happens that she’s my apprentice.”

Diavolo was openly shocked at that revelation. “Your apprentice? …Cayrie? Really?”

Solomon nodded. “Yup, really. Isn’t that right, Cae?”

“It’s true.” she admitted. “I’m his apprentice.”

“Well, now this I didn’t expect…” the prince marveled. “I have to say, I wouldn’t have thought that…I mean, I knew you were one to do outlandish things, but even so…I never expected you to take a demon as an apprentice.”

Solomon laughed at that. “Cayrie here is my top student, actually. But I try to keep that on the down-low. Otherwise, everyone else would feel inadequate.”

Diavolo’s eyes lit up. “…Ah, I see! That would explain the whole ‘stay’ thing earlier.”

“Oh?” Solomon asked, brow raised. “Did something happen earlier that I’m not aware of?”

“Well, Cayrie can tell you all about that later.” he dismissed. “I hate to be rude, but I should really be getting back to the castle. Solomon, since Cayrie here is your apprentice, can I assume that it’s okay for the two of you to share accommodations?”

The sorcerer smiled happily. “Oh yes. I’d appreciate it if we could stay at my usual spot.”

“Understood.” Dia nodded. “Well, I’ll be off then. Take care, Cayrie - and thank you for agreeing to my request earlier. I’m sure you’ll do an excellent job as an attendant.”

“Yes, of course.” she answered, bowing her head again. “Have a good evening, Lord Diavolo.”

Cayrie and Solomon stood together and watched him leave, making sure he was well out of earshot before speaking again.

“…Okay then.” he said after a moment, turning to face her. “I’m guessing you have a lot of questions?”

Cayrie gaped at him. “You’re damn straight I have a lot of questions!” she exclaimed, nigh on the verge of tears. “Why the fuck am I in the past and how the fuck do I go home?! You came here to get me, right? So come on, let’s go.”

“Wait a minute, slow down and take a breath.” Solomon urged, trying to calm her down. “Before we can do any of that I’m going to need you to tell me what happened, starting from the point it all went awry.

“But before all of that,” he continued, cutting her off before she could speak. “Let’s get off the road and go to Cocytus hall. We’ll be more comfortable and have some privacy. Also, you look like you could use some TLC.”

“…Cocytus hall?” Cayrie asked, having never heard of the place.

⥈

“Diavolo was nice enough to set up a place for me to stay while I’m here in the Devildom.” Solomon explained as they approached a building. “This is it, Cocytus Hall. While I do appreciate Diavolo providing a place for me here, it’s a little too extravagant a space for me alone. I’m glad you’re going to be staying here with me.”

“…I see.” Cayrie noted, allowing herself to be led inside. While that was a nice sentiment, she had no intention of spending any length of time here whatsoever.

The place was indeed massive and empty of anyone else in the halls. Their footsteps echoed hollowly throughout the lonely space.

Solomon led her to a sitting room and made her wait while he fetched water and made tea. It took Cayrie a significant effort to figure out how to manage her wings and tail so she could sit comfortably.

Once he returned, he asked her to recount the events that led her here while he cleaned the blood from her face and hair.

She explained how her portal went wrong, hijacked by a mysterious entity who changed her form and refused to tell them her name.

“A spell, huh?” Solomon asked, considering the way she looked. “And they said it was a gift in order for to protect yourself?”

“Pfft, yeah.” she scoffed. “They then promptly shat me out in the middle of the sky, so I’m not sure how concerned with my safety they actually are.”

Solomon chuckled at that. “Well, portals of this nature are tricky, especially if not everyone is on board with the trip. Do you remember the words they used to change your form?”

She considered that for a moment. “Uh…I believe it was Daemonos Forma.”

The moment she finished saying the words, her extra appendages disappeared in a show of magical light, leaving her sitting in a body she was used to.

“Wow…” she marveled, checking herself over. “That’s some magic. Those wings felt incredibly real.”

Solomon nodded in agreement. “Indeed. That magic seems to allow you to change your look at will. Certainly handy if you’re trying to pass as a demon.” he noted, refreshing her tea cup. “So tell me, what else happened before I found you?”

⥈

Once she had finished her tale, Solomon settled into his seat with a sigh. It was already quite late at this point, but there was far more talking to be done.

“Okay then…I owe you an explanation. Or two.” he began. “Obviously, this Devildom is different from the one we used to live in. It’s still the Devildom, yes…but long, long before we came to study here as exchange students.

“In the ‘present’ - and by that I mean the time period you and I are originally from…in the present you just…disappeared. So I analyzed the traces of magic left behind, which indicated that you’d jumped through spacetime to a past version of the Devildom. Then I had Barbatos lend me his power so I could come here after you.”

He took a long drink from his cup before continuing. “In addition to being in the past, it seems we’re at a fairly momentous point in history. This is right after the Great Celestial War, and Lucifer and his brothers have just been cast down after their defeat.”

“Yeah, I’ve gathered that.” she dismissed with a wave of her hand. “What I’m interested in is how we get back to where we’re supposed to be.”

“…Right. That’s the issue.” Solomon uttered, face falling. “I have the ability to return to the present whenever I want. But sending you back is another story. That will require some of your own magic power, and it sounds like the pacts you forged with the demons of the present don’t function properly here in the past. Even your markings are gone…and as a result, the power of your magic seems to be much weaker here as well. Long story short…you can’t go back to the present. Not in the state you’re in.”

The pregnant silence between them could have been cut with a knife. Cayrie stared at him for a long moment, the gravity of her situation making it hard for her to breathe.

“No.” she uttered, voice shaky. “No, don’t you tell me that you can’t get me home, Solomon. Don’t you tell me that I’m stuck here with no way out! I can’t stay here, Sol! Please tell me you’re joking and we can leave, okay? Let’s just go…please.”

Solomon came to her and braced his hands on her arms, kneeling down to meet her eye on equal level.

“Cayrie! Cayrie, listen to me.” he urged. “Do you really think I would leave you here without any options? Earlier, Diavolo mentioned that you were able to use a pact command and succeed, right? That means your pacts with the brothers haven’t been severed completely. If you were able to reforge your pacts with the seven of them here in the past, then you might regain your lost power.

“I’m sure it must of hurt when you realized they didn't know you.” he continued gently, “But don’t worry. You’re going to make it back to the present and be reunited with the versions of them you know and love. Your objective is to grow closer to Lucifer and his brothers in order to reforge pacts with them, and I intend to do everything I can to help you accomplish that.”

“…You make that sound like an easy thing to do.” Cayrie uttered numbly, eyes wet with unspilled tears.

“Well, no.” he admitted sadly, “And you’ll have to live here in the meantime, but…you won’t be alone, Cae. I’ll be right here with you.”

“…Thank you.” she replied softly, looking incredibly fragile. “If it’s alright with you, I’d like to go to my room now.”

Her teacher furrowed his brow in concern. “Sure, I’ll show you to it…but are you sure you’ll be okay on your own?”

“Yes.” she insisted, rising from her seat. “I’ll be fine.”

⥈

Her room at Cocytus hall was plenty spacious, but silent and devoid of anything she’d ever loved. No trinkets or personal comforts, no plants or Miri churring in greeting…

Oh god…Miri. The realization that she would be unable to care for her turned her stomach into knots. She prayed that someone would have the presence of mind to go get her from Serenity Manor and do it in her stead.

She placed her smashed up bag on the bed and began to sort through the few belongings she had. Beel had long since had his way with any food items she brought, the thought of which bringing to light the fact she was absolutely starving in spite of feeling nauseous as hell.

She had been on her way to have a dinner that never happened.

There weren't any items of clothing or toiletries, since she had some at both the House and Manor didn't need to pack them when she traveled between realms. Now, however, she was very much in want of those things.

She pulled out a crumpled folder of papers, no longer relevant to anything, and a dented glasses case. Mercifully, her magic lenses remained unbroken inside. A small mercy, that.

Again she found her smashed up DDD and held it in her hands, willing it to work.

It didn’t. There wouldn’t be any old chats, or photos, or saved music she could seek out to comfort her in her isolation.

She could only imagine what her demons were going through right now, half out of their minds at her disappearance.

Now she would be forced to get close to other versions of them in order to get home…and have to abandon them in turn.

And Cayrie knew full well that you didn't get pacts with all seven brothers by treating them like tools or a means to an end. No…in order to pact with them as a whole, they had to love you - and they didn't love you unless you made an effort to love and understand them in return.

Her breathing deepened as an overwhelming sense of hatred for the one who had done this to her bloomed in her chest. She crushed the damaged DDD in her hand, gritting her teeth as her anguish overtook her.

“RRAAAAHHHHHHH!!!” she screamed, hurling the device into the wall as hard as she could. It shattered into pieces on impact, falling to the floor.

The folder of papers were scattered to the floor in a sweep of her arms. Hollow decorations placed to fill the spaces on surfaces were shattered against the floor and walls, covering the place with shards of debris. Paintings were hauled off the wall and hurled across the room, frames splintering to pieces on impact as she cursed and roared and raged against her helplessness.

And when there was nothing left to break, she unleashed another howl of anguish and crumpled to the floor, body shuddering with sobs as deep sadness overwhelmed her.

She wept until there was nothing left for her to feel and was left laying there amid the rubble, broken along with the rest of it.

⥈

Solomon sat outside of her door, listening to it all. He knew better than to interfere…so he just sat there in silence with his back against the wood. He stayed that way for a good long while, until not a sound or a sob could be heard on the other side of the door.

⥈

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me nightbringer #obey me fanfiction #nightbringer fanfiction #obey me cayrie #between the realms #nephilim lost #ss3890 writes #retelling #a tantrum on par with Satan himself

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ss3890 · 2 years

Text

BETWEEN THE REALMS - A Friend’s Farewell

On returning home for the second time, Cayrie has to say goodbye to someone else she loves - and this time, she won't be seeing them again.

Instead of alluding to this event in S3 as planned, I decided to make it into its own short-fic instead.

While it's been six months here in the real world, this is something that's been heavy on my heart again as of late - so I've decided to put it here, in the fictional world that's been built. Gotta give it an outlet or it’s gonna keep making me miserable.

(The veil is thinning again and I’m doped up on hormones that have made me super emotional as of late...so it really isn’t that surprising that I’ve been so weepy.)

"You have to take the pain that's inside of you and put it somewhere else." I can't remember where I've seen that, but it always rang true. If you keep your pain within you, it only grows more harmful - so feel it, move through it, and give it somewhere else to live outside of yourself...whether that's through writing, or art, or in music - you have to give it somewhere else to live.

Warnings: Animal death, euthanasia, and likely some uncomfortable and/or unusual funeral rites for a bunch of you (I.E Dismemberment).

Read below or here (AO3):

It hadn’t been very long since Cayrie left the Devildom. A month and a half, at most.

She’d made herself busy catching up with Coren and paring her belongings down - getting rid of any excess that would only serve to weigh her down should she attain her goal of inter-world travel.

Other humans in her life tried to reconnect with her, but she wasn’t at all interested in them. There was a great depression crushing down on her, threatening to consume her and all her efforts whole.

On top of her loneliness at being separated from the brothers again, Quinnigan wasn't doing well at all.

He had begun to fail for several months now, but in coming home to the human world, he’d taken a turn for the worse. Cae had noticed him losing an alarming amount of weight in spite of the amount of food he ate, always acting as if he were starving. His fur was growing unkempt and dirty, and he was having a hard time using his box like he was supposed to.

She saw the stiffness and shakiness in his hips, the way that simple movements took him considerable effort. She heard him fall down the stairs - not once, but twice - and saw him fail altogether to make it to his box…and that's when she knew.

She knew when she watched him falter and stumble when he tried to move into the other room. When she looked into his eyes and saw how tired and old he was…she knew, and she wept.

After nearly two decades of life together, it was time for her beloved friend to leave her.

She stood in the kitchen for a long while, searching up local veterinarians who could help her. When she called, she could hardly get the words out through the aching tightness in her throat. “Please help me.” she begged over the line through ugly sobs, “He’s suffering. Please help me.”

Once the appointment was made, she traded her human world device for her Devildom one, and made one more sorrowful plea.

⥈

Cayrie didn’t beg for life-saving magic or some other miracle. She simply asked the Young Prince if Satan could be there with her when she took her companion to the clinic.

He’d loved that cat as much as she had.

So she didn’t ask for anything else, hoping her request would be accepted - not for the rest of them to come, or for anyone to stay with her - just that the fourth-born would be granted leave to see his friend one last time before the end.

Two days later, the morning of the appointment, her guests appeared via the power of the magic circle.

⥈

With the proper coordinates given, they appeared at the door of her little human world house. Lucifer had been sent along with Satan - to make sure he didn’t stay longer than he was supposed to, no doubt.

“Cayrie…I’m so sorry.” the blonde demon breathed, wasting no time in wrapping her up in a sympathetic hug. He’d been devastated at the news and it showed on his face now.

“Me too.” she uttered quietly, her throat clenching up again in a tight, painful knot.

Lucifer didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. Once Satan had released her, he came forward to take his place, offering the teary-eyed human the comfort of his embrace. She accepted it gratefully, having needed such a thing for several days now.

Cayrie led them inside and made introductions to her brother, who had been watching and waiting patiently as the other-worldly guests arrived. He’d heard about them, of course, but this was his first time meeting any of them in the flesh. They handled each other with a somber politeness and turned their attention to the matter at hand.

Mr. Q was lying in the living room. The cat’s eyes lit up with recognition when Satan sat on the floor beside him, happy to see a familiar face he’d come to associate with good treats and better skritches. The younger demon cooed his greetings and fell into a sorrowful frown as he considered the feline’s condition.

“...There has to be something we can do.” he pleaded, looking up at Cayrie. “We have all the magic in the world available to us, certainly we could–”

“...No, honey.” she dismissed sadly, the pain in her eyes a palpable thing. “It’s time to let him go.”

That concept was not an easy thing for an immortal, magical being like him to accept or understand. She could see him fight with her decision, trying to argue against it in his mind. Then he looked back at the husk of a cat and saw what she had seen as the feline met his eyes and gave him a world-weary blink.

Cayrie gathered up a blanket and came into the room. Gently, she scooped up the elderly cat and cradled him in her arms. “It’s time to go.” she uttered softly, leading the silent men out of the house.

Coren drove them. Cayrie and Satan sat in the backseat together, the old kitty in her arms the entire way to the clinic. In his health she would have had to crate him, but today he didn’t have any strength to fight her hold. He simply sat there and watched the world go by, looking back at his friends every down and then with curiosity in his eyes.

The two of them made sure to love on him the entire way, smiling through their sadness whenever he met their gaze.

When they arrived, the four of them filed into the exam room. The men took their seats along the wall, allowing Cayrie to have the run of the room as she needed. She stood at the table alongside Quinnigan, keeping her hands on him the entire time. Even Satan, as much as he wanted to be in the thick of it, knew this was not his moment to interfere with and gave the two of them their space.

The veterinarian came in and gave his greetings. He commented that Mr. Q had lived a good long life and that most felines were lucky to have lived as long as he had. He didn’t argue with Cayrie or her decision, seeing the decline of old age for himself, and then he pulled out a series of syringes and went to work explaining the procedure.

The elderly cat was held in place on the table and the sedation was administered. Cayrie knelt on the floor in front of him, cooing reassurances as it began to take effect. The veterinarian took his leave and she stayed there on the floor, holding Quinnigan's gaze to hers until it became clouded and unseeing.

She didn’t stop looking into them, even though he was asleep. She didn't stop petting him, even if he couldn’t feel her anymore.

And then the doctor came back into the room and administered the second needle.

Cayrie stopped looking at him then. That was when she put her forehead to his and held it there, holding onto him as she wept and felt him leave her.

Condolences were given, and they were left alone in the room until she was ready to leave.

Tears fell freely down the fourth-born’s cheeks, but still he didn’t not interfere. He watched as Cayrie stood and wrapped the lifeless body of her friend in the blanket she’d brought him in, cradling him in the same manner she had when he’d been alive just moments ago. Then she regarded the men with tear-rimmed eyes and bid them to leave the room, ready to take him home.

⥈

Quinnigan was quiet and heavy in her arms, yet still she held him like a child and ran her finger along the bridge on his nose in the way he’d always enjoyed. Satan joined her, taking his turns to put hands on what was left of him, and then they began to tell stories.

They shared stories of the feline’s quirks and personality. Of how he loved to be in the kitchen with them, and all of the endearing and laughable moments they’d had in the past couple years.

And all the way home, Cayrie held him in her arms.

Once there, there was work to be done - work that most humans didn’t have it in them to do.

⥈

Cae brought Mr. Q into the basement and gathered up a series of items. Herbs, incense, a scarf of hers, and a set of sharp knives. Satan helped her gather and carry them all, watching on with a feline curiosity as she worked. Lucifer and Coren stood by, ready to offer any assistance should she need it.

She laid the body of her friend out on the blanket he’d died in. Beside him, she lit a candle and a stick of incense and started a playlist that set her in the right mindset. While Cayrie didn’t often practice her spirituality in front of others, she was doing it now.

She was giving Quinnigan a funeral.

Taking a bundle of herbs and lighting it until it smoldered, she moved it over the body and implements until the smell of it filled the room. She ran her hand over the fur of her friend, muttering words only she could hear, caressing him as she set down the herbal bundle in favor of a blade.

Then, she stopped, her hands trembling violently as her grief overwhelmed her.

Cayrie crumpled to the floor, hands on the edge of the table as she bowed her head and sobbed uncontrollably. It came in shuddering wails of loss and agony, racking her body in a manner she had no control of.

Satan and Coren went to her then, holding on to her as she rode the waves of grief that rocked her. She didn’t even register their presence until it was over, eventually quieting down into an eerie hollowed-out calm.

Then she stood, silent and composed with a knife in hand, and went to work.

⥈

With Coren’s guidance, it didn’t take long for them to separate skin from muscle, paring away the black and white pelt to expose the atrophied structure underneath. Skillfully, they pulled it away, wanting to preserve the silken beauty he’d held in life - to turn it into something tangible she could touch and hold onto whenever she needed comfort. Cayrie cooed her affirmations the entire time, marveling at the engineering beneath the surface.

Even now, she couldn’t stop telling him how beautiful he was.

Pelt taken and soaked in brine, Cayrie then moved on to the skull. She cut apart muscle and separated joints, taking the seat of the soul to be cleaned later on - maintained as a gleaming heirloom that she would always treasure.

What was left of him was laid out on the scarf and anointed with herbs and oils. Another pass of smoke and wrap of the cloth, and the group of them moved outside to find a suitable gravesite.

Cayrie already had one in mind. Shovel in hand, a hole was dug in the forest and her little cat's body was placed inside. She’d bought a flowering bush to place over him, and when all was set in place, she lit another stick of incense and sent her prayers into the air alongside the smoke.

⥈

The emotion Satan had witnessed today was unlike anything he’d experienced for himself. The grief and reverence Cayrie had felt toward her companion was as a tangible thing he could feel in his own heart.

She hadn’t tried to fight the inevitable. She just accepted it the best she could, with a grace and understanding of mortal life and death that had been beyond his comprehension.

He wondered if he’d be able to do the same as she had done, when it came time for her to go the way as Mr. Q.

And then the sun was setting, and it was time for them to go.

⥈

Coren left them alone to say their goodbyes as Lucifer summoned the power of the circle to take them home - as had been promised. Satan gave her a long-lasting hug, reluctant to leave in her time of grief.

“I’ll have some things to put in his box, whenever I see you again.” he uttered into her shoulder, referring to the container she would be making to place his mementos in.

“He’d appreciate that.” she replied gently, pulling away to look at him properly. “I’m glad you were with us today.”

“Me too.” the demon replied, giving her a sympathetic smile. “I’ll be checking in on you, to see how you’re holding up, alright?”

“Thank you.” she uttered, reassured at the thought. Her DDD had been blowing up all day, but she had ignored it and likely would for some time. She would need a moment to find the energy to respond to everyone, and that wasn’t going to be this evening.

“...Until next time. Take care of yourself, Cayrie.” the blonde bid in farewell, pulling himself away from her and into the portal’s light.

That left her standing there with Lucifer.

He’d been fairly quiet and out-of-the-way for most of the day, watching her every move with an unfathomable expression. In watching her, he’d been exploring his own thoughts on the matter of life and death and grief.

It was a subject he was quite familiar with.

He reached out and pulled her to him, wrapping her up in a grounding embrace. “You were very brave today.” he noted quietly, “And I’m sorry that you had to be.”

She sniffed against his shoulder. “...All things end.” she muttered, “And I knew it was coming. Though, to be honest, that doesn't really make it hurt any less.”

“No. I’m sure it doesn’t.” he replied. “Do you want me to stay with you?”

She desperately did want someone to stay with her. She wanted nothing more than to be held and soothed and made to feel less alone in her grief…but him staying and doing such a thing would be against the agreement of his coming here in the first place.

“...You want to start a riot in the House?” she asked, putting on a brave face for him, “‘Cause that’s a fast way to get one. Neither of us would hear the end of it if you stayed…so, no. You should go.”

He sighed deeply, knowing she was right.

“Don’t think I’ve abandoned what we discussed before you left.” he advised, cupping her face with his hand. “We’ll be seeing you again. Soon, I promise.”

“I know. I haven’t doubted it.” she assured him, her face falling into something serious. “And Lucifer? Before you go, I need you to promise me something else.”

“...And what would that be?” he asked, curiosity peaked.

“Promise me that when my body fails me like Quinnigan’s did him, that you’ll offer me the same mercy.” she demanded, her conviction unwavering. “Promise that you’ll help me end it, and that you won’t let me suffer.”

His eyes widened at the request, clearly wanting nothing to do with such a thought. “Cayrie–-”

“Promise me, Luci.” she insisted, not giving him a chance to argue. “You’re the one I trust to be able to do such a thing. So please tell me you will, if it all comes down to that.”

He closed his eyes and sighed once again, not wanting to fight with her. “...Very well.” he conceded. “If it comes to that…then I will honor your request.”

“Thank you.” she breathed, giving him one last hug before he had to leave her.

⥈

That night, Cae lay curled up in her bed, surrounded by cold sheets and deep sorrow. The bed was exceptionally empty without Mammon or Quinnigan to cuddle up against, and it made it very hard for her to fall asleep.

While she lay there, sniffling as tears fell down her face, she felt a tingling sensation spread against her back.

As it grew in intensity, a phantom weight pressed itself against her, laying against her shoulders as Quinnigan had loved to do - and in her mind's eye she saw him there.

Lithe and healthy, fur silky and kept clean, his green-gold eyes looking up at her with the brightness of vitality and life that he’d been missing in those final days of his.

She choked on a smile and stretched her arm over her shoulder, reaching around to give the empty space the good skritches he’d loved in life. She could see him tip his head up to meet her fingers, giving her that loving feline grin that told her he was content. She could feel him against her with a striking clarity that took her breath away, even though there was nothing tangible for her to actually touch.

There was no denying that he was there with her, and that’s was where he stayed until she finally calmed and drifted off to sleep.

Even death was unable to separate them, such was the bond they had shared. Ever the faithful, vigilant, and loving guardian he'd been in life, Quinnigan had navigated the veil to comfort her through her grief, and there he would stay - always near the heart of the human who had loved him, for as long as she needed him to be.

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me fanfiction #between the realms #obey me satan #obey me lucifer #obey me cayrie #pet loss #witchery #pagan rites

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