I sit up, a scream on my lips, wide awake from my nap as Jin looks up from his papers.
"What?" He asks.
"A vision."

"Are you sure?"
"Yes," I snap at Jin as I walk down the hallway of the hospital building. Jungkook is clutching on tightly to the back of my jacket as I stalk my way towards the maternity ward. My little one doesn't like hospitals.
Six bodyguards trail us, each with their weapons ready. I don't go out in the open much, if not at all, and me being in a public setting such as this has everyone riled down to their toes.
"Taehyung, you've only been Aamon for nine months. This is too soon for an initiate to be born."
"The power makes its choice, not me," I answer Jin as we round a bend.
I nearly bump into a nurse who literally has to press himself against the wall to avoid the legion of guards behind me.
"And what will you do once you see this potential initiate?" Jin counters. "Will you take him and steal him from his mother?"
"It's a 'her'."
"What?"
"A 'her'! It's a girl. And I just need to check."
We finally reach where my instincts lead me, an open-air, C-class maternity ward where four heavily pregnant women lie on separate beds in preparation for labour.
"Which one is it?" I hear Jungkook whisper.
"On the left, by the window."
I feel attention shift from me to the lady of obvious Indian-descent I was speaking of, who has sat up, hands on her back in obvious discomfort. Her stomach bulges in a pretty grotesque manner and I'm pretty sure she's close to pushing the baby out.
"Oh my God, pregnant women look *disgusting*," Jungkook squeaks.
"Jungkook!" Jin scolds.
"It's the miracle of life," I hear Louis correct.
"It doesn't matter," Jungkook continues. "The baby is going to die."
I whirl around to face him, bewilderment obvious on my face.
"Jungkook, that's not nice."
"It's true, Your Highness," another guard speaks up. He taps his throat. "The umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck. It will suffocate the moment the mother starts pushing."
I turn to Jin for confirmation. He says nothing but holds my gaze. Whelp, it's true then.
"We have to save it."
"We are *not* saving an unborn child."
"It's a future initiate!"
"Another initiate will be born."
I feel frustration start to creep up on me. "Did you act like this when you found out I'd be born?"
"I found out you'd be a potential Aamon when you were two years old, not when you were in your late mother's womb. And keep your voice down. These ladies are already stressed as is."
"I can't believe you'd -"
We're interrupted when there is a loud 'oh!' of pain coming from someone in the ward. I whirl around to see the same woman with one hand pressed against her back and another on her protruding stomach. Her face is scrunched up in pain.
She reaches for a button at the side of the bed before falling against the mattress. She starts bleeding between her legs and screaming in pain.
"We need to get out of here." Jin has a stern hold on my arm, pulling me back as the other women in the ward notice her distress and start yelling for help.
"Lets go!"
I continue to stare. I'm pretty sure I just saw a shimmer of light. And where would such light come from when it was already dark outside? 
The woman's eyes have rolled back up her skull and she shakes from convulsions. The yells turn to screams and this time, I'm forcibly dragged away as we make a break for it.

"She's dead."
I look up from my phone. We had all been waiting at the lobby as Jin had gone to check up on the scene we'd saw upstairs a few hours ago. He is back to human form again, a hand in his pocket as he walks towards us.
"The mother or the baby?" Jungkook asks.
"Both. The mother experienced a severe Braxton-Hicks. She apparently had a heart condition which lead to a heart attack. Baby died from intrapartum asphyxia."
I don't understand half the words Jin has just used, but the root of the matter is, the baby was dead. My future initiate and a possible heir to my throne.
Jungkook turns to me. "What now?"
All the focus shifts to me when I don't answer.
"I don't get it," I finally say. "Why would I receive a vision about the birth if the baby would die anyway?"
"What did your vision show?"
"A newborn in my arms," I answer. "Safe and alive."
Something isn't right.
"Lets get back," Jin says. "You have a meeting in twelve hours."
"Can't," Alexander, a guard from the Elfin society speaks up. "The cars got stolen."
Jin squints his eyes at him, his 'are you fking serious?' face on. "All four?"
Alexander shrugs. "Welcome to Detroit."

"What are you doing?"
I don't look up from the card I'm writing on, finishing the short condolence message before I stick it to the hamper of flowers on the study table.
"Sending condolences," I reply as Jungkook comes to stand beside me.
"Why? People die every day."
I turn to him, and he reads the expression on my face before replying with his own expression of confusion.
"First of all," I start, "that's not a nice thing to say. Secondly, people dying every day doesn't make a death less sad. Thirdly, someone just lost their wife and firstborn. It's a small gesture of support."
Jungkook frowns, staring at the hamper. "But why flowers? Flowers die. Just like his wife and baby."
I open my mouth to say something, then close it. "You're right. You think I should get plastic flowers instead? Maybe I -"

"Taehyung!"
I open my eyes, finding myself completely horizontal as I lie against the carpetted floor of the hotel living room. Seven faces stare down at me in alarmed concerned, each one on the verge of panic as Jin grasps me by my shoulders.
"See, I told you he's not dead!" I hear Jungkook cheer.
"What happened?" Rosé breathes as I gingerly sit up.
"You're asking me?" I retort. Jin gives me a general pat-down as he checks on my health.
"You out, Your Highness," another guard explains. "You were talking about flowers when you suddenly flopped against the ground."
"Wow," I murmur, more to myself. "Imagine my last words being about plastic flowers."
"Is there anything you remember before you out? Anything odd that you saw or felt?" Jin asks.
I shake my head. I stand up as everyone gives me space. "I feel fine. How long was I out?"
"About seven seconds."
"Felt a lot longer," Jungkook adds in.
"Thank you, Jungkook for the input." Jin shifts his focus to me again. "Are you still strong enough for your meeting today?"
I nod. "No sweat."
I sneeze, an act so sudden I hadn't even felt the itching in my nose. The resulting explosion that is produced from the act shakes the room, an eruption of fire engulfing me before it shoots upwards not unlike a volcano that slams against the ceiling.
The fire and earthquake are gone as soon as the sneeze is over. I look up to see everyone in the room staring at me wide eyed and wary.
"I'm cancelling all your appointments for today."
"Good call," I agree.

Astaroth prods and presses at random points of my body, his steel eyes shifting between his brother and his working fingers.
"What. Are. You. Doing," I mumble as he places a hand against the crook of my elbow, pressing gently before he rests his other hand against my jawline.
"He's checking for abnormalities." Jin doesn't move from beside me. In fact, he has his sword unsheated by his side, almost as if he's ready to engage in a fight. Something tells me he doesn't trust his brother all that much.
"I thought you were the sin of Sloth," I say, speaking directly to Astaroth.
"I'm surprised you would know that. Maybe you're not as stupid as I thought."
The words don't faze me, but I feel the physical bristle of anger pass through the inhabitants of the room, though I'm pretty sure that no one would dare say a word against him. Astaroth was, after all, a demon Prince of Hell. Unlike Jin, he wasn't born with a truckload of patience. Who knew what ruckus he could call up here if provoked.
"I am the Sin of Sloth," Astaroth agrees. "But I'm also the Demon of Math and Science. One does not remain the ruler of one of the Nine circles being stupid."
"There are demons in charge of that?" He tilts my head to the side, seemingly finding a vein beneath my chin which he traces down till it reaches my finger tip.
"Much like Saints, or experts in the human world." Using his finger nail, Astaroth makes a nice, clean slice over my said fingertip.
I yelp in pain as my guards move, drawing their weapons as they point them in his direction. Astaroth ignores them all, taking the droplets of spilt blood between his fingers as he rubs them together and places them close to his face, sniffing lightly.
He turns to Jin.
"Something is messing with his powers."
"No shhit, Sherlock." The sarcasm in Jin's tone is so powerful that I actually flinch. Siblings, amirite? "What else did you deduce?"
"It's stretching - passing itself down to another being. I think there's an influx of initiates being born."
"He's only been Aamon for less than a year." Obviously not wanting to be left out, the Victor points out something glaringly irrelevant.
Astaroth turns his head to face him. For three full seconds, he does nothing but stare at the Victor, before he turns back to Jin.
"Your patience to stay with these Earthly fools is commendable."
The fact that the Victor, or even Hector, says nothing in return is nothing short of amazing.
Jin barely reacts, staring deadpan at his brother. "I stayed with you for much of my life, didn't I? Training."
I blink, staring first at Jin before I shift my attention to Astaroth …what is going on?
"An initiate was born the other day," I start, attempting to not get too in between these two siblings. "She died in the womb, along with her mother. Do you think it's something we need to take notice of?"
Astaroth frowns at that, crossing his arms over his chest as he contemplates. "It may just be a coincidence. If it happens again, perhaps you should be worried. Someone - or something - may be out to get the Aamon's Court." He looks up at Jin. "You reek of demonic energy. You should see Daddy before it starts going crazy again."
"Excuse me?" This time, both brothers turn to me, similar unreadable expressions. "What starts going crazy?"
They turn to each other, and I guess some sort of realization hits Astaroth. "Oh. Shouldn't have said that out loud, huh?"
"You think?"

"Astaroth sends his regards," Jin says, announcing his arrival by placing his blazer at the back of the office chair. "He's gone back to Hell."
I lift my head up from my pillow, seeing Jin start to his shirt since he's about to change. I lie back down, continuing to gently pat Jungkook's back as he sleeps against my chest.
*What did he mean?* I ask, sending the thought telepathically to Jin.
*What?* Jin answers as he walks into the cupboard and grabs a sweater which he swiftly pulls over his head.
*Don't play dumb. You know what I'm talking about.*
Jin is quiet for a while as he walks to the other end of the room to place his dirty clothes in the laundry.
*I haven't fought in many millenia like how I've fought these past few months,* he says after a few moments of silence. *My body is just tired. It's healing.*
Jin comes back to the study table, his back to me as he sifts through some more documents.
*Then why did he talk about you going crazy?*
Jin says nothing again, instead reaching for a pen across the table and scribbling a few things on the papers.
*Because as my body heals, the power I lose is replaced with pure power from Hell. The concentration of demonic energy is much higher in that power than what I'm already accustomed to. If I have too much of it in me, I'll lose my mind.*
"What the fcuk," I breathe, unable to keep the expression telepathic as Jin turns around to stare at me, leaning gently against the table behind him. Jungkook shifts in his sleep and I immediately start patting him to sleep again.
*But what about your siblings? Astaroth and Lilith and Pan and -*
*They're fine. Because they don't fight as much as I do.*
*And… and Beelzebub.*
A small smile rests against Jin's lips. *He's locked away for now. His healing makes him violent. Not even Lucifer can quell how much pure power is in that brother of mine right now.*
*How… violent is 'violent'?*
*Beelzebub is attacking and eating every demon that comes his way. He's deranged.*
*And you can get like that too?!*
He doesn't reply, which is technically answer enough.
*Why didn't you tell me?!*
Jin shrugs. *I didn't want you to worry about a problem only I would have the solution to.*
*And what the hell is that solution?!*
*None of your business.*
It doesn't take much to realise that Jin doesn't *have* a solution. He was just being unnecessarily coccky.
*Why don't you just feed from me?*
He shakes his head. *Because the healing is automatic. The power of Hell won't stop coursing through me just because you've given me yours.*
*But it'll help… won't it?*
Jin sighs, rolling his eyes slightly. "Somehow I know you won't take no for an answer," he says aloud. *It won't help that much. That's why I have to avoid fighting for the time being.*
He takes a seat on the bed, near enough that I feel his hip resting against mine.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" I ask as I rest my hand against his cheek.
"Yes. I have been through worse."
I get the jibe as my gentle hand turns into a fierce pinch of his cheek.
*You know that doesn't hurt, right?*
*Coccky.*
He leans forward, resting his lips against mine as he makes an energy transfer.

"This isn't the way to do it…"
"It's the way *I* do it," I retort.
"Roses are not placed with sunflowers. *Especially* not when it's a wreath of condolence," Louis explains, taking Jin's side for once.
"It looks nice, Mama," Jungkook supports, looking up momentarily from his Fortnite game to flash me a winning grin of approval.
"I don't like you playing that game," Jin mentions, peering over his shoulder as he gives warning to the little one. "You do not need to witness any more unnecessary violence."
"I've seen people die," Jungkook points out. "And I've been stabbed."
"Jungkook."
Jungkook falls into a petulant pout. "You're being mean."
He gets up and turns off the game anyway, though not before causing a scene and hurling the game console against the TV, smashing the screen and then leaving.
"Where are you going?" Jin yells after him.
"My Court!" my little one screams before slamming the door behind him. I stare at the closed door, confused as to what just happened. Did my sweet little Jungkook just throw…. A tantrum?
It takes me exactly two seconds to decide what to do. I drop the stalks I'm holding and run after Jungkook.
"Taehyung!"
The guards automatically move to block me from leaving, several in front of the door while others physically hold me back. I'm not allowed to go out alone.
I don't even think about what to do. I call on to my power, feeling the fires of Hell course through me before I encompass myself in the flames. The guards holding me yell in pain, drawing back as I continue running forward.
The door is still barricaded by the rest, and I collect the power of Heaven in my hands.
"Stand back and no one gets hurt."
I don't even wait for an answer as I attack, throwing the condensed ball of energy towards the door. Some of my guards throw themselves out of the way, some endure the hit head on. 
Those who do are thrown a distance, slamming into the walls across the hallway. I take one final look over my shoulder of the damage I've caused, seeing Jin stare back at me in a mixture of shock and anger. I run without looking back again.

I follow Jungkook's scent, running between hallways and past staff and hotel customers. 
For the longest time, I'd always been surrounded by bodyguards and advisors. I hadn't spent time outside sans duty in months and I dare say I don't even know what the streets outside the hotel look like, since I travel either by teleportation or under a heavy umbrella of guards. I don't spend time alone and actually being alone right now is a very new sensation to me. Still, there is a sense of much needed freedom as I slip past individual after individual until I finally reach the hotel lobby.
The place had always been compact with guards, but today, it's full of guests, each dressed to out-swank each other. I guess some sort of posh event was going on.
I stand at the top of the main stairs that lead directly to the ballroom below. The mass of faces almost blend in with each other.
The rich race in Los Angeles are apparently the whites and aged.
*Jungkook.*
I make the mental call as powerful and widespread as I can. His scent is strongest here and I feel the physical connection that signalled his presence here.
My eyes scan the place. Each person is mingling with the other, never staying in one spot, moving as they converse and sip on champagne. They were human, majority of them.
I suddenly lock eyes with Jungkook. He's staring up at me right at the foot of the stairs. It's odd how I didn't notice him from the start. His bright red hoodie makes him stand out like a sore thumb.
I give him a smile in comfort. I wonder if he's alright. He's usually not one to throw tantrums. Maybe he's upset I haven't been spending much with him. I'll clear some space in my schedule if he needs me to.
Jungkook doesn't smile, only staring stoicly back.
*You scared me when you ran off like that. Are you feeling okay?* I take a few steps down the stairs, heading towards him. *You want to talk about your feelings?*
Jungkook finally moves, coming up the stairs, gaze unbroken. 
*You know, it's better to talk about your feelings when you're upset. Sometimes people don't know when they've upset you. Even when you can read minds, there are some things that need to be told.*
Jungkook seems to be really stalking up those stairs, each step a step made in purpose and power. I falter, slowing down as I study him. His eyes are vapid despite the steel in his expression.
"Jungkook?" I breathe, stopping completely as I stare at my little one coming closer. Something wasn't right.
He moves with a swiftness I hadn't expected and suddenly is before me, a hand against my neck as he lifts me off my feet.
Oh, fcuk.
I feel my power instinctively rise to fight and I struggle to hold it back. I'm not going to hurt my baby. Jungkook's hold tightens and I gag, grabbing on to his wrist to try break his hold. This isn't good.
He whirls around, throwing me straight into the crowd like a javelin.
I land like a ragdoll, falling straight into some old gentlemen who ironically manage to soften the blow. It creates a bit of a commotion but there generally isn't much panic, other than disgruntled sounds.
Man, Los Angeles was a strange place.
I get up, mumbling some apologies as I look up at Jungkook. His face remains unchanged as he stares right back.
He starts descending the stairs, making way towards me. I watch, somewhat frozen in horror and confusion, as Jungkook transforms into his werewolf form. He pauses to roar, loud enough that the chandelier above us shakes and the ground below us quakes.
He charges, headed straight towards me.
Oh *FCUK*.
This time, the sight of the gigantic lycan triggers widespread panic amongst the crowd as each person heads for the nearest exit.
There is something about the sight of a monstrous werewolf charging towards you that somehow seems to make time slow down and your thinking capacity accelerate.
This was a ballroom full of humans - weak, defenseless and ignorant to the existence of other species they only believe to be fairytales. If they left this ballroom, news of this would spread. A cleanup of this scale would be massive, complicated *and* expensive.
On the other hand, if they were kept inside, they'd almost cetainly be killed. The place was packed. Sending them up the stairs would result in a stampede and the elevators would be too slow to sufficiently get them all to safety.
Man, this is hard.
And just like that, Jungkook's jaws are wide open ready to take probably a chunk of my head off. I duck, he misses by a hair's breadth and I throw a burst of power against him that throws him up the stairs.
I whirl around, spreading my power around the circumference of the floor before I encompass the humans in a dome of protection. There are several other screams of panic as the humans realize that they're trapped in. Good. If no one could get out, nothing could get in. Including Jungkook.
I shift my attention to Jungkook.
He is back on his feet again, readying another attack. He's a lot faster as a vampire. All it would need would be for me to be slow once and I'd be dead meat.
Seeing as it is, I had two options. Move the fight, which would be impossible at this point since this was one of the swankiest hotels of the area, or immobilize him.
And Jungkook as a were is a pretty large being to immobilize just like that.
Jungkook charges, and I charge straight for him. 
I become incorporeal, losing my physical form and shooting right into him. 
And am stopped when I slam right into a metaphysical wall that blocks me from entering Jungkook's vessel. The impact of it throws me back and I become physical again just I catch myself before I hit the stair railings and knock myself out.
Jungkook doesn't stop, continuing his charge towards me. I put up a protective shield, calling on to the powers of Heaven to encompass me like a cocoon.
I was too slow however, when a gigantic swipe of Jungkook's paw breaks the barrier. His claws tears into my shoulder and I feel one slice through my cheek. The impact throws me right over the railings, and I fall from the second floor right into the lobby below. I land on my back, feeling the marble floor crack from the impact, landing so hard that I actually bounce. *Fcuk* that hurt.
I don't even have time to register the pain, looking up to see Jungkook making that terrifying leap to land on top of me. I put up my shield just in time this time, feeling the entire weight of the giant wolf land on top of it. It pushes me deeper into the ground. I hear the cracks spreading, broken marble chunks being broken smaller as I struggle to keep the shield up.
I hear Jungkook roar in frustration of not having me. He slams his paws against my shield and I feel the strain in both my mind and body as the shield tries to hold. *Shhit*.
Jungkook roars again, slamming against the shield repeatedly, each blow delivering a striking pain travelling through my body. The shield won't hold.
I drop the shield just as Jungkook rears back, and I throw a burst of power against his face.
He flies and I scamper up.
He's being possessed, I'm sure of it. 
I have to put him on lockdown. I raise my hands, calling on to the powers of Hell when I suddenly feel a sharp stab of pain against my side. It interrupts my focus momentarily and I glance down to see myself drenched in blood. I guess that paw swipe had knicked a lot more than I'd thought.
There is the sound of the momentous weight of Jungkook's wolf form slamming into the ground, and the panicked screams rise in volume again.
Damn it. Knowing my luck, Jungkook had probably landed near the humans.
I turn around, just in time to see Jungkook get up. His eyes hold rage this time, a testament to the power of the soul in him.
"Whoever you are," I start, staring as Jungkook starts to leer towards me, going around me in a wide circle. "Leave Jungkook out of this. You want to fight, I'll do it. But not with Jungkook here."
"How noble."
The movement had been Jungkook, the mouth, lips and tongue Jungkook's. But that voice wasn't.
I stare. Jungkook couldn't talk in wolf form. The facial structure of a were would technically not allow it to pronounce human speech.
My own anger rises. I call on to both powers this time, stretching and solidifying them in both hands. On my left, I create a sword made of Holy light, on my right, one made of the fires of Hell.
"Leave him alone."
"Or what?" The voice is a woman's, purring with glee and ego. "You would hurt this child? Is he not your beloved?"
"Jungkook isn't the one you want. It's me. Leave him out of this."
She makes a sound that had to be laughter, shoulders shaking slightly. "Pray tell. What can you give me?"
I slam my foot against the ground, feeling my power travel beneath the marble and soil, before it bursts out in front of Jungkook in the form of vines ready to tie him down. 
My vines miss, catching on to empty air as Jungkook practically rages towards me. I make a pulling motion, creating a wall of fire that shoots up from the ground. It creates a barrier between us, but unbelievably, doesn't even make the being in Jungkook falter.
I see from the flames Jungkook make a flying leap towards me, heading straight for the flames. 
*Fcuk, fcuk, fcuk.* Jungkook was a vampire now. Fire would be his Achilles' heel. I extinguish the flames, missing him by a probable hair's breadth.
Jungkook was safe, but I wasn't - not against those humongous jaws. I could probably hit him with a blast of Holy power, but directing it straight into his insides would injure his physical form too much.
Man, this was going to hurt.
A portal suddenly appears before me, Jin and Caine rushing out. Jin yells a spell, creating a physical shield in front of us before Jungkook slams straight into it. Caine grabs me, holding on to my forearm before he opens up another portal and literally hurls me through.
I fall straight onto carpeted floor on the other side, scampering up just in time to see Jin say a spell that makes some sort of light hit the ballroom from all the open windows. My own guards suddenly surround me, dragging me away as they inspect my injuries. I squirm out of their hold but stop when the light Jin has called stands near my feet, going straight through the portal unaffected.
It takes me a moment to realise.
Sunlight.
Jin was calling on to the fkucing *sun* against Jungkook when he knew fair well that my little one was allergic to it.
Jungkook is already roaring in pain, thrashing about as smokes starts exuding from his gigantic form.
"Jin, stop it!" I scream. "You'll kill him!"
Caine takes one glance over his shoulder to look straight at me. With his other hand, he moves his hand and closes the portal.
I was cut off from view.
"NO!" If I'd been angry then, my rage hits a whole new high. They were hurting Jungkook. They were gonna kill him.
Hands, several pairs of them, hold me back. "Your Highness, your injuries must be tended to."
"Don't fcuking *touch* me!" I screech. For a moment, my blind rage triggers unrestrained power, and the ground shakes, the chandelier dangling overhead sounding like some windchimes as the pieces bang into each other.
"Your Highness!"
Another portal opens before me.
Jin and Caine rush through, each having Jungkook's arm over their shoulders as they half carry and half drag him in. He's back in human form and he looks burnt to a fcuking *crisp*.
"Jungkook!"
"Get back!" Jin roars, speaking to every one in the suite who comes to assist. I ignore the command, running towards Jungkook. The burns cover almost every inch of his exposed skin and run right into his flesh. The areas of his skin which aren't burnt black are pink with raw muscles visible to the eye. Jungkook isn't even bleeding because of how bad the burns are.
Was he even alive?
Jin and Caine rush right past me, straight into Jungkook's and my shared bedroom before they gingerly place him on the bed. There is the sound of cracking skin as the movements makes bits and pieces of flesh fall off Jungkook's suddenly tiny frame.
I wanted to vomit.
Jin produces his dagger before he slices it over his wrists and holds it against Jungkook's lips. His silver blood starts to trickle, falling into Jungkook's mouth. I stare, nearly shaking from fear and shock as my baby doesn't move, doesn't even react to the blood seeping through his lips.
I feel an arm over my shoulder before I look up to see Caine gently but firmly pulling me away from the room. "Come," I hear him quietly say. "You have duties to attend to. There is a very important matter I must speak to you about."

"He's going to be okay, right?"
"He will live," Caine answers curtly, staring straight at me as we sit facing each other on parallel sofas. "Azazel has powerful blood and the injuries are not life threatening, though they will take time to heal."
I chew distractedly on my lower lip. I needed him to be okay. 
"Fifth Aamon Kim Taehyung." I look up at the formal title Caine has called me by. "A very, *very* serious issue has popped up." I wait for him to continue. Caine reaches into his hidden pocket, producing a photograph which he shows me. "Do you know who this is?"
I nod. "Layla." The favoured initiate of Ezekiel and once deemed most likely successor to the Aamon's throne until the power had breezed right past her. Layla had died under mysterious circumstances not long after I became Aamon.
"Yes," Caine confirms, keeping the photo. "She escaped. We think she's back on Earth."
It takes me a few moments just to process his words. "Wait. How?" Souls, once in the Afterlife, do not leave. Ever. How in the world could Layla escape?
"The Aamons suspect that the battle in Heaven managed to distract every one and cause enough structural and power damage to allow a soul as powerful as her to escape."
I just sit there, staring at Caine in shock.
"So… you need me to find her and guide her back to Heaven?"
"No. Because she's already made her presence known. Layla's soul is filled with malice and vengence. Once a soul leaves Heaven, all Earthly emotion returns. Anger, jealousy, grief."
"You think she's out to get me," I breathe.
"She is *already* out getting you. That possession was her."
I lean forward in disbelief. "Jungkook?"
At Caine's nod, I lean back against the sofa.
"I'm sure you've been getting visions of your future initiates being born. That is not normal. An Aamon will not be informed of these things, only the Parliament. It is a warning, a vision for you to change. Layla has been killing them."
"The initiates? But they're *babies*!"
"And that is a fact that she is aware of as well."
"What does she want? What's her point of doing all this?"
"She wants to disrupt your rule as the Aamon. She can't possess you, but she can possess the people around you. She can't kill you, but she can kill the future Aamons, or even make others want to kill you."
"She's trying to stop my rule," I realize. "Why? Even if I'm dead, she can't be Aamon because *she's* dead too!"
Caine shrugs. "We don't know. Adam predicts she'll probably do this forever until someone actually catches her."
"So how do I catch her?"
Caine looks at me funny, as if he can't believe what I just said. "Souls are not meant to be caught. They are meant to be guided. You're called the Guider of Lost Souls, not the Soul Catcher."
"Soul Catcher actually sounds pretty tight."
"No. And since you can't catch her, the next thing you can do is to -"
"Guide her?"
"Take her to Hell."
"What!" I practically screech. "You said souls can't be caught!"
"They cannot," Caine confirms, " But have you ever seen a soul willingly enter Hell?"
"I can't take her to Hell," I argue. "Layla has sacrificed a lot as an initiate."
"She has also killed three newborns and endangered the lives of the general public. She must atone for her sins."
I blink, backtracking on Caine's answer. "Hold up. Layla has already killed three of my future initiates?"
"Four if you don't hurry."
"Why are so many being born in the first place?"
"That's a question for the previous Aamons, not me."
There is the sound of the bedroom door opening and I immediately get up, turning around to see Jin open the door.
I run in, pushing him out the way as I enter the bedroom.
Jungkook is still on the bed, his skin still looks raw and painful, but it isn't as bad as before. He's sleeping this time, the rise and fall of his chest a relieving sight.
"He'll be asleep for a few days, but he's gonna be okay. You should get your injuries checked."
I whirl around to see Jin standing behind me, his expression unreadable as usual. I feel my anger return. Jin looks so….faultless.
"What the hell were you doing back there?" I seethe, trying to keep my voice level. 
There is a shift in Jin's expression - confusion and reciprocated anger.
"I saved your life."
"You nearly ended his!"
Jin takes a step closer to me - a warning, perhaps. "Jungkook was possessed. If we hadn't taken him down, who knows what he could have done."
"You should have just immobilized him. You have so many spells up your sleeve and that's the spell you use on him? Calling on to the fcuking *sun*?"
"He was moving too fast for me to stop him. There were people in there, people who *you* trapped in. I couldn't take the risk."
"Because they might have run outside and inform someone what was going on! I was leading Jungkook away from them!"
"And how did that work?" Jin nearly growls. He grabs on to my elbow, squeezing it unnecessarily hard as he shakes me. "Were you about to win? It seemed to me like you were going to die!"
I push him away with both hands, feeling myself move instead. "I would've happily died if I'd known this was what you'd do to him!" I'm full blown yelling now, feeling my power course through my veins in excitement in response to my anger.
"Don't be a fool, Taehyung. What good would that be to Jungkook, to me and to everyone who believes in you?"
"So you would've killed him to protect me?"
"I would kill everyone in this hotel to protect you!"
The bedroom door is open and I know everyone in the suite can hear us. But standing before Jin, seeing how hurt Jungkook is, I don't give a shhit.
"Wrong answer!" I roar, calling on to my powers, sending a burst of concentrated Holy energy straight into Jin's chest. It makes him fly straight out the room, into the hall as he crashes against the floor.
I stalk out the room, seeing a slightly confused Caine and an alarmed group of guards all staring back at me.
"Jungkook trusted you with his life!" I scream, sending another round of energy towards Jin, who moves and evades it. "You promised him safety!" I throw another round of power. "Protection!" Jin isn't fast enough to duck this time, and the power slams into him. Even the guards are running to get out of the way. I'm blind with rage and I move forward unrestrained. "And you would kill him just like that!"
Jin gets up, looking just as enraged as I felt. I think he's reached his limit too, as he charges towards me, converting himself to demon form, jaws wide open in a roar. 
I produce two swords of Holy light, holding one in each hand as I put them up in an X shape to absorb the blow. I am thrown back when Jin slams into them, rolling against the floor.
Jin is upon me in seconds, and I shift to lie on my back before I throw him a blast of Holy power. I get up as Jin is thrown back.
"What?" I yell. "Are you gonna kill me too?"
Jin answers by roaring so loudly that the entire hotel shakes. He heads towards me and me, towards him.
I turn my sword into a whip, slamming it against Jin. It wraps around Jin's neck and I pull. Jin is dragged forward, before I swing him in a wide arc and he slams into the wall, leaving cracks against it.
Jin doesn't even stop, using his legs to propel himself forward right towards me. I pull up a wall of fire to protect myself, though of course it doesn't stop Jin who hurdles straight through.
He grabs me with one claw, large enough that it fully wraps around my body before he slams me into the ground. 
I squirm from the weight of his hand pressed against my chest. He's managed to immobilize all four of my limbs and for the first time since I've known him, I see murder in Jin's eyes, directed straight at me.
"Kill me then!" I scream. "Lives are worth nothing to you!"
Jin picks me up, throwing me across the room. I slam against the glass cabinet, feeling the glass shards falling around me as I land against the ground. I see him inhale, immediately knowing what he's planned.
I call on to my Holy power, encompassing myself before Jin exhales, and the explosion of fire hits me. The heat hits me almost immediately as I curl deeper into myself. I wonder if one of us will really kill each other in anger.
The flames suddenly stop, and I look up to see Caine has created a portal in front of me. The flames are absorbed into the portal, shielding me from harm before Caine makes the portal move with a throw of his hand. It travels the length of the hall in half a second, completely swallowing Jin before it disappears, Jin along with it.
The sudden silence that descends the room is jolting as I neutralize my shield. My guards are staring straight at me, evident looks of fear and confusion on their faces.
My head hits the ground as I try to catch my breath. No one moves, all their focus on me. Maybe they're too scared to even come near me.
"Where did you send him?" I ask Caine, after a few moments of silence.
"New Zealand."
"Why?"
Caine replies by raising an eyebrow. "I suppose because I wanted to avoid a bloodbath."
"Jin and I weren't trying to kill each other," I say, wiping at my cheek. I sit up. I'm still bleeding from the fight with Jungkook and I'm pretty sure I've sustained some new injuries from Jin. 
"Is this how married couples resolve arguments now?"
I glare at him, cleaning my bloody hands by wiping them on my clothes. "We're just angry."
"Correction. Only *you* were."
"Jin won't kill me," I distractedly answer as I notice the state of my shoulder. The skin is completely torn, with three obvious scratch marks running from the tip of my shoulder to my chest. I should get myself patched up.
"That seems to be something you've taken for granted."
I am quiet at that, as a guard quietly comes to me to help me stand.
Caine stares directly at me this time, his usual cheerful exterior gone as he holds a deadpan expression on his face. "Did you not feel the potent energy from him?"
I freeze. Jin had warned me about his healing.
"It would be best if you don't aggravate him."

All three Aamons stare back at me as I relay what has happened the past few days. They all show varying degrees of disapproval.
"And the worst part is, Jin *knows* it could kill Jungkook. But he did it anyway!"
"Horrifying," Sobekneferu tuts, shaking her head.
"But you must look at a wider angle, Taehyung," Pakal soothes. "Azazel probably knew what he was doing. You trust him, yes?"
I sigh, leaning against my chair as I cross my arms over my chest. "I don't know. I thought I did. We fought."
"As in bickered?" Pakal asks.
"More like tried to rip each other's throats out."
"Where is Azazel now?" Adam asks.
"Caine had him teleported to New Zealand to calm down."
"And where is Layla?"
I shrug. "I don't know. I don't sense her. I don't see her."
"She is a very powerful spirit, Taehyung," Adam warns. "If you remain idle, she will attack again. You cannot catch her. The only thing you can do is run from her."
"Or drag her to Hell," I say, remembering what Caine said.
"Layla is possessing others, commanding them to attack you and disrupting your health and focus. I will not allow you to return to Earth unprotected."
"I'm protected," I argue. "There's Jin and Jungkook and the guards and -"
"None of which will be of any use if they cannot see or fight off spirits. You will be accompanied by two Angels on your return and they shall stay with you until the threat is contained."
I sulk. I don't agree, but Adam is not really someone you say no to. "And what about my future initiates? Layla keeps killing them."
"New initiates will be born every now and then," Sobekneferu replies with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry."
"Not about that!" I huff. "About the fact that she's killing innocents!"
"That's a battle between you and her," Adam replies. "We are unable to intervene."
"Are you trying to say you don't care for those future initiates? What if she continuously kills them until there are no more? And then she somehow kills me too?"
"As Sobekneferu has said," Adam replies, looking wholly unfazed. "New initiates will be born. Don't worry." 
"You're heartless," I say before I can stop myself. "The only thing you care about is the Aamon's Court! You don't even care about Creation!"
There is a shift on Adam's face, a change so slight that I almost miss it. But the warning is clear. "If you want to save them, then stop her. Find her, trap her and the Angels will bring her back."
"Fine," I huff. I wasn't even trying to hide my annoyance this time. "I will."

I wake up and instinctively glance at the clock. I was gone for three hours. As usual, Caine is by my side. He was my transporter between worlds until I got the hang of it myself. He extends a hand which I take as he pulls me to sit up.
"How are you feeling?"
"Good," I say, messaging my sore shoulder. I'm cleaned and technically healed, but the residual pain remains. "I'm sorry you had to witness all that."
"The fight between Azazel and you?"
I nod.
"It was nothing."
"And thanks for saving me. I don't think I would've been able to fight Jin for long."
"You have a tendency to pick up fights too big for you."
"Yeah, well I still win them anyway."
Caine raises an eyebrow, before turning around to flop down dramatically beside me on the couch. He turns to me, arms crossed and leans forward. "I like you, Taehyung, I really do." I blink. I don't get why he's whispering but I guess I should just roll with it. "But what you did was *stupid*. Azazel has the capacity to kill you, and in the current healing state that he's in, he probably will. Stay out of his way."
I nod, not sure what else to say.
"He's in the room," Caine continues, jutting his chin towards my bedroom. "You should go to him. I'll be here for a while should anything happen."
And he straightens, looking at me expectantly. I guess that was my cue to move. I get up and head to my bedroom. I place a hand on the doorknob, glancing back at Caine one last time. He's staring back at me pretty intently.
I twist the doorknob and enter, shutting the door behind me.
As Caine had predicted, Jin is back, standing silently at the foot of the bed as he stares at Jungkook still asleep.
"Hey," I say. 
"Hey."
"How are you feeling?" I ask as I come to him, placing a soft hand against his elbow. Jin surprises me by placing his own hand upon mine. He gives me a soft, reassuring squeeze.
"I'm sorry," he says, eyes still on Jungkook. "I panicked. I want to protect you - both of you. But Jungkook was about to kill you and I just ended hurting you. If I'd known -"
"It wasn't Jungkook. It was Layla."
Jin turns to me this time, confusion in his eyes. "Layla? The initiate?"
I nod. "She managed to escape Heaven. The Aamons think she's out to get me. She would've had Jungkook kill me if you hadn't come to save me again, as you always do."
"It doesn't excuse what I did to Jungkook." Jin's voice drops to a near whisper. "I could've killed him. And I hurt you too. I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't think straight."
"It's not your fault." I lean closer, a hand against Jin's cheek. "You're healing. I'm sorry I reacted so violently. I should've sat down and listened. You did what you had to do. And Jungkook is safe. That's all that matters."
Jin leans in to kiss me, soft lips against mine as he takes my energy to feed himself. He breaks the kiss quickly, though I feel him pull me closer against him, a secure arm around my waist. He rests his chin against my shoulder.
"You keep me grounded," he says. "You keep me sane. I'm sorry I hurt both you and Jungkook. It won't happen again."
He lets go just as suddenly and I look up at him confused. "I'm a danger to everyone while I'm in this state. I think I should stay away for now."
"Where will you go?"
"Hell, probably. It would be the strongest place to contain me."
"But Lucifer -"
" - will make it hard for me to leave. I know. But I'd rather stay there than hurt you again. I can't fight, Taehyung. One more battle and I'll lose it. I won't be able to stop myself."
I reluctantly nod in understanding. I didn't want to inhibit his decisions.
"How long will you be gone?"
"As long as it takes."
I feel the grief creeping up my throat. I haven't been away from Jin since I was fourteen.
"Okay."
Jin smiles gently. "You'll be okay."
Our moment is interrupted by an invasion of light that pierces through the window. Jin reacts by covering his ears as he doubles over in pain.
"Jin!"
"The Angels," he nearly screams. "I can't take their presence!"
Jin drops to his knees while I drape myself over him.
The light has stopped, though Jin is still doubled over in pain. I back off when I see his human guise wavering. He becomes a static image as his demon form attempts to break through.
Oh shhit. This isn't good.
I create a bubble of protection around him, attempting to contain Jin inside. Something tells me his demon form was going to be wild as Hell.
"Caine," I call, backing off slowly as I reach for the bedroom door knob.
Jin is still in apparent pain as his physical forms squirm and convulse. I manage to open the door just as his demon form solidifies and breaks through my shield like glass.
"CAINE!"
I make a flying leap to the side just as Jin crashes into the space where I'd stood, roaring as he smashes against the floor. I scramble up to stand and run. Jin destroys the doorway as he attempts to get through and he misses my leg by a probable hair's breadth.
The doorway isn't large enough for Jin to get through but what is a slab of concrete to stop him. My guards congregate, pulling me back to safety.
The two Angels materialize before me in human form and the sight of them aggravates Jin even more. He roars in rage. I call onto my power just as the Angels do the same, sending three large blasts of Holy energy straight into him. It slams against Jin's shoulder and shifts his balance, but it does little to stop him.
"Get away from him!" I yell, speaking to everyone in the room. "No one lay a finger on him unless you want him to retaliate."
Jin finally breaks through the doorway, looking like one really angry bull stuck in a China shop.
"Caine, I need a portal to Hell!" I don't even dare turn to him, too scared to take my eyes off Jin. Jin charges forward and a guard intercepts.
Jin doesn't even hesitate as he swipes the guard away with one massive claw. I see him inhaling again, and I scream. "Caine, NOW!"
The portal opens, and as it is from an unstable power source as Hell, winds start picking up as the portal starts everything in. My guards immediately anchor themselves to the ground as I feel my own body move, losing to the suction power of the portal.
I crouch down, lowering myself to heighten my center of gravity. I creep forward, trying to keep myself grounded.
"What are you doing?" I hear Caine yell.
"Close the portal as soon as Jin gets in," I command, nearly screaming in order to let my voice be heard over the din.
Jin has grounded himself, using his massive limbs to break through the floor and hold on to something beneath. His weight alone would've been sufficient to hold him in place.
"The portal cannot stay open forever," Caine warns. "Any being that gets in will *stay* in Hell."
"Any being but the Aamon," I grin, looking up at him.
Caine registers almost immediately, knowing something stupid is to come. I jump, feeling that moment of zero gravity before I'm literally yanked straight into the portal. I hear the collective yells of "YOUR HIGHNESS!" from the guards as each realizes what's happened.
I call onto my powers, stretching it and grabbing on to Jin as I'm pulled further in.
I hear roars and feel a lot of thrashing on my end, but that won't stop me. I pull, feeling the weight give as Jin is practically ripped from the ground.
Hell, here we come.

I make a crash landing against the ground, feeling something crack on my shoulder blade. Okay crap, I was *physically* in Hell. Not in mind, not in spirit, but in my literal physical body. This couldn't be good.
The first thing I notice is the *intense* heat. The place felt like a fkcuing oven, scorching me to my bones. For a moment, it is *unbearable* and I nearly collapse in writhing pain.
But two sources of blinding light suddenly come out of that portal and hit me straight against my chest, again throwing me against the ground. They enter my body and I feel the power cascading through my veins. Immediately, the heat that I'd once found unbearable fades away, and I'm filled with a coolness that runs through me.
The two Angels, I'm sure of it.
Well, Adam had been right. I did end up needing those Angels after all.
I take a moment to look around me. Demons of an assortment of shapes and sizes stare back at me in curiousity. Okay. I'd have nightmares about them later, but now wasn't the time to bother. An angry roar comes from the portal and I look up, getting myself ready.
Jin crashes against the ground, immediately getting up to attack. I hit him with another blow of Holy power.
Jin manages to evade it at the last minute, and the resulting explosion as my power hits the ground throws me and the surrounding demons back.
Okay, wow. Two Angels insiide me. Have to keep that in mind the next time I attack. 
I catch movement to my right, seeing Jin's arm ready to strike me. I create a barrier between us as he hits. The shield holds, and the sound of the impact rings in my ears.
I throw my right arm forward, creating a snake of power that heads straight for Jin. It wraps around his left wrist and I pull. He slams into the ground and I use his moment of distraction to throw another snake of power that wraps around his right wrist.
Jin is effectively playing tug-of-war with me as both of us start pulling from opposite ends. I dig my heels into the ground as Jin attempts to break the bonds. He's forcefully dragging me forward even though I try to stop it. Jin suddenly looks up, roaring in such a deep tone that I feel the vibrations in my chest. He's up to something, definitely. 
The demons around us move, gathering behind Jin as if he were the commander of a legion of monsters. They roar along to Jin's roar, and charge to attack at his signal.
I create a massive wall between us, the demons slamming against the metaphysical Holy energy and clawing against it as if they're attempting to dig their way through.
Damn it. I wasn't going to last long at this rate.
I try a trick I'd seen Adam do once, encompassing myself in a large dome before I send out an arsenal of attacks on the other side. I hear roars turn to screams as the demons are hit with my Holy power, though it does little to slow Jin down. I see him looming over me, staring straight into my eyes before he pounds the dome with both hands.
The intensity of the force makes me fall against the ground, sending powerful vibrations straight into my skull.
A second pounding on the dome fills my body with pain that travels from the top of my head down to my toes. I'm unable to get up, using the entirety of my focus to strengthen the only barrier between Jin and I, as he slams his fists against it again.
I literally feel the cracks of the dome right in my core. The barrier wasn't going to hold for much longer.
Jin has raised his arms right over his head, ready to pound against the dome again. His arms move, and I immediately shut off the power. It makes Jin falter, throwing him slightly off balance before I hit him with a beam of power that hits him right in the face and throws him back.
I get back on my feet, converting my power into a gun of sorts that I use to immobilize the demons surrounding me. I have both hands formed into finger guns, with my index finger acting as my barrel.
*Bang, bang, bang*
I metaphysically shoot, sending bursts of power into as many demons that I can. Many drop down from the skies while others crumple into the ground.
I didn't mean to hurt these innocent creatures, but then again, what choice did I have?
I see Jin's massive form come closer, charging like a raging bull. I point my finger guns at him, entwining my fingers together before I pull one arm back, creating an arrow in my hands that I fully intend to shoot straight at Jin. The ground beneath my feet is actually shaking from Jin's weight as I wait for him to come closer in order to not miss my shot.
Jin is almost upon me when the ground between us explodes upwards, high enough that my view of Jin completely disappears. I shoot anyway, relaxing my right hand to feel the arrow shoot straight out of my hands. There is the sound of a loud *thud* as if the arrow has hit solid meat as I shoot it into the dust clouds.
I stare for a moment before I see the arrow coming *straight back at me*.
Shhit. 
I hurl myself to the side, just as the arrow slams into the space where I'd stood before it disappears. 
I look up. Oh great, Jin could redirect my powers now?
The dust finally settles and I see two gargantuan demons facing Jin, their backs to me, though even from where I was, I could tell that they were splitting images of the other.
Both roar their dominance at Jin, who brazenly roars back. Despite the pair before him, Jin is still noticeably larger than them.
I blink in confusion. The demons were standing up *against* Jin? The Heir Apparent of this kingdom?
All three demons slam into each other, a wrestling mass of tangled limbs and gnashing teeth. I don't really understand what's going on, so it suffices me to stare.
Jin is outnumbered, but not overpowered. He somehow manages to both attack and defend himself from the pair, before one of them latches itself on to Jin's back and bites at his neck. Jin howls in rage and pain, grabbing on to the demon behind him before he throws the demon forward.
It literally flies from the strength of his throw, and I stare for a few moments before realising it was heading straight towards me.
Oh shhit.
I run, feeling the shadow above me very, very quickly growing bigger as the demon threatens to land atop me.
Fcuk it.
I stop in my tracks, whirling around before I create a shield before me just as the demon slams on top, bouncing once before falling off. The force of the landing on my shield jars me again, the pounding in my head and screaming in my ears disorienting me for a moment before I look up.
The demon is already getting up, and as if it senses me staring, looks up straight at me. I hide a shudder. Man, these things were scary. 
The demon holds my gaze, and I take a hesitant step back. I was already struggling to defeat Jin. If I had to defeat this pair too then I was a goner.
It stalks towards me, before it breaks out into a full blown run. I call on to my Holy power, forming two swords in my hands as I brace myself.
But the demon suddenly shifts its form as it nears me, shrinking and becoming human-like before I realize who it is.
"Lilith!"
Lilith, youngest child amongst Lucifer's offspring, stares at me incredulously. "What are you doing here? You're *physical*!"
"Jin was causing havoc on Earth. I took him to the safest place I thought he could be!"
Lilith takes a moment to stare over her shoulder at the fight between both her brothers. "Astaroth warned us about him going crazy." She turns back to me. "Can you knock him out?"
"Yes, but he's moving too fast. I need something to keep him still."
"Got it." And Lilith is off like a bullet, shifting back to demon form, crashing headlong into Jin. I watch in confusion as the three siblings fight. Lilith wasn't helping the cause. In fact, she was making Jin move around even more.
"Lilith, you're not helping," I whisper under my breath.
*Wait a damn minute.* I nearly jump in fright.
*You can HEAR ME?*
*Only if your thoughts call me.*
*What does that even MEAN?*
Jin lands a fist against Lilith - or is it Pan? - who staggers back and roars in pain.
*Are you ready, Aamon?*
With her back to me, Lilith sends a blast of fire against Jin while Pan, who stands behind him, blasts Jin with his own round of fire.
I get the signal. I throw my power forward, feeling streams of Heavenly power shoot out of my hands as they wrap around Jin's wrists, ankles, neck and wings. I pull, making Jin slam against the ground. The onslaught of massive fire stops as my power links itself around Jin, effectively binding him.
He roars in rage, attempting to escape but my binds hold.
I come forward cautiously as Lilith and Pan turn to human form.
"Welcome to our Circle, Your Highness," Pan greets, an amused grin on his face.
"Thanks," I answer distractedly as I stare at Jin. I'd never really noticed how massive Jin is in human form, but standing here with Jin against the ground and me barely the size of his head, I hide a shudder. Jin could've easily killed me, and those around me, without much effort. "Do you guys know a safe place for Jin to get better?"
Lilith nods. "Hell is his home, after all. He'll be safe."
I nod my head, sighing heavily. Pan stares quietly at me.
"You're physical." I turn to him to see him eyeing me with a weird mix of wonder and shock. 
"You guys keep saying that. What does it mean?"
"You're not a spirit," Lilith explains. "A physical body is not designed to be here. You should leave soon."
"I can't." I look up to both twins staring. "I don't know how." And both their eyes widen at the exact same time and size. Their reactions aren't very comforting.
"What?"
Both glance at each other.
"Maybe…" Pan starts.
"You should see Lucifer," Lilith continues.

I stare at Lucifer. He stares right back. Both of us are unmoving.
"You're physical," he starts.
"Yes," I exclaim. "Why is everyone so surprised?!"
"Ezekiel had to train for five years before he could bring his physical body here."
"Angels iin me," I hastily explain.
Lucifer raises all the eyebrows on the left side of his face. "Angels?"
"They followed me to Hell."
"To Hell?"
"Yes!" I'm exasperated at this point. "Stop repeating after me!"
Lucifer says nothing this time, his beard in deep thought. "You're here and not burnt to a crisp because you have Angels insiide you."
"Adam sent them to protect me."
"… the First Aamon Adam?"
I nod.
"So you work for Heaven now."
"I'm the Aamon," I growl. "I work with both Heaven and Hell, not for either."
Lucifer nods once. Perhaps he's finally done with his questions. "Azazel will be safe here. Don't worry."
"How long will it take him to heal?"
"Three days on average."
"Oh." I say. That didn't sound too bad.
"And how long till he gets back to normal?"
"Three years."
"Three years?!" I nearly screech. 
"Stop repeating after me," the Ruler of Hell levels.
"Why the Hell does it take so long?"
Lucifer doesn't answer, rather he rises from his throne, coming down the short steps that separate me and him before he shifts to human form and stands before me.
Lucifer leers uncomfortably close as I back up a step. "My offsprings and I are made of power, Taehyung. Not flesh and bone as earthly creatures are. The more power we use, the more power we need. Azazel has been fighting incredible battles the past year. If that power does not return to his body sufficiently and heal him -"
"He'll die?" I warily ask.
Lucifer shakes his head. "Our bodies do not die of exhaustion. But we will find a power source to accelerate the process of healing."
A power source. 
"So if Jin has this power source, he'll get back to normal sooner?"
Lucifer smirks in amusement, straightening. "You speak as if it is easy. Azazel would have to eat over a thousand souls to regain himself."
"But the power source will help, right?"
"Yes."
"Take me to him."

Both Lucifer and I stare into the glass box that was the probable size and height of a stadium. Jin is very visible despite the massize size of it. He flies from one end to another, slamming himself into the walls as he roars in rage in attempt to escape.
"Doesn't he get tired from doing all that?" I wonder, staring up at him.
"He will," Lucifer answers, though doesn't attempt to say anything further.
I let the flow of Holy power condense into my hand, producing an orb of light in my palm. Lucifer squints at the light, turning away as he backs off two steps. 
It catches Jin's attention and he roars in our direction, before heading our way and slamming into the glass separating us. I flinch, fully expecting the glass to break. It doesn't, and I'm left staring at Jin's raging demon form.
I swallow, taking a step back.
"Can you take the barrier away?"
From my peripheral vision, I see Lucifer throwing me an incredulous look. 
"He'll attack."
"I know."
"What do you plan to do?"
Jin roars again, pounding both fists against the glass. 
"Accelerate his healing."
Lucifer seems to consider for a moment, before he raises his hands and makes a motion. The barrier literally pops out of existence, and Jin falls forward, off balance.
I throw my power forward, binding Jin where he stands. He expectedly struggles, thrashing about to get out of my hold. I tighten my binds, making him roar in pain.
"Sorry," I whisper before I can stop myself. I loosen the hold oh so slightly, and Jin relaxes, although he's still looking like he'd look forward to tearing me apart.
I take in a shaky breath. I was about to try something I've never done before and with the test subject being Jin, my nerves hit the ceiling.
I reach my right hand out towards him, searching for remnants of my power in Jin's being. We were almost constantly transferring power to each other. There must be parts of my power in him that I could use to my advantage.
I feel the answering pulse, a soft but obvious pounding that was my power coursing in him. I call on to it, feeling it respond.
I slowly form my outstretched hand into a fist, and see Jin crumple before me, roaring in pain as he falls to his knees. I stare in shock, feeling Lucifer do the same.
"What are you…" I hear him murmur.
I move my left hand, slowly positioning it below my right. I open up my right hand and have both my palms facing Jin, before I rest them against the top of Jin's head.
I activate my powers inside Jin, immediately seeing him radiate a light so bright that I feel my corneas burn. I feel his form shrink beneath my hold, until the light disappears and what stares before me is the Jin I've known since I was thirteen. The human Jin.
I don't waste time, falling to my knees and resting my lips against his as I throw my power straight into him. Jin struggles for a few seconds, before the taste of my power perhaps becomes a temptation too great, and he stops moving, taking in my power.
He is practically inhaling me in, and the seamless power transfer quickly changes into pain. I rip myself away, placing my hands against his chest as I roughly push myself off.
I fall against the ground, thoroughly spent as I land against my back, wet with sweat and panting hard. I turn over to see Jin breaking through my bonds pretty easily. I feel another painful throb in my mind at the action as I watch Jin stand.
He looks pretty damn angry. 
Oh no. What if it backfired? What if Jin was gonna fcuking eat me right now, wholly powered up by my own stupidity?
I could barely stand, let alone fight back. No way was Lucifer going to help me again. This was it then. This is the end.
Jin is practically growling as he leans forward, grabbing me by the collar of my jacket and lifting me clean off the ground with one hand.
"What the Hell were you THINKING?!" He shakes me like a rag doll at the last word. I grab on to my head, attempting to hold it in place before a bone in my neck snaps clean off. He abruptly lets go, and I fall against the ground again. "You could've died!"
"*You* could have died!" My eyes aren't even able to focus on anything yet, let alone Jin, but that won't stop me from making a snide comeback.
"I would not have died," Jin snaps. "I'm healing, not dying."
I realize I'm too weak to actually get up, so I continue staring up at Jin while horizontal, hoping that my face at least looks pissed. 
But Jin shifts his attention to Lucifer, who's blankly looking at our exchange.
"Did you not know to stop him?!" Jin redirects his anger at him. 
Lucifer stares back at his son with an expression that easily said 'what the heck did I do??'.
"Taehyung has literally saved Hell *in your name* and you allowed him to do something so stupid?!"
The King of Hell only blinks. I don't think he knows what to say.
"You were hoping he'd die, weren't you?" Jin growls, before he reaches for me, literally throwing me over his shoulder as if I were a mere sack of potatoes, and opens a portal behind him. "One less burden off your shoulder!"
Jin turns around, and I'm met with Lucifer's questioning and confused gaze. 
"Sorry," I say, just as Jin enters the portal and it closes before me. "And thank you!"

"I can't believe you're so rude to your dad," I lecture as soon as soon as we hit solid ground and Jin gently puts me down. He has a firm hold against my waist as he supports me. "You know, I don't even have parents but if I did, for *sure* I wouldn't be speaking to them the way that you -"
"Hush."
"Excuse me? Lucifer was literally helping me with -"
"Taehyung."
I finally shift my focus away from his face, looking at my surroundings. I gasp, feeling my legs give way beneath me. Jin's hold on me doesn't waiver as he slowly lowers me to the ground.
"What happened?" I breathe, as Jin kneels by my side.
He says nothing. There isn't anything he can say.
The hotel suite is ravaged. Everything has been destroyed and blood splatters paint every surface. The furniture has been ripped apart, the chandelier is in pieces on the floor and chunks of both the walls and floor are missing. The signs of a battle are obvious.
"Search for survivors," I barely gasp out.
Jin nods, getting up and disappearing as he leaves me alone. Two orbs of light extract themselves out of my chest as soon as he is gone, solidifying and becoming two Angels in human form who stand before me.
"Was it Layla?" I mutter. I'm barely conscious, aware that the two Angels being insiide me had contributed to a lot of my power and protection in Hell. The depletion of energy as they leave my body is almost tangible.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Is Jungkook safe?"
I pause, waiting for an answer. There is a pounding in my head that distracts me, making me see double and lose focus.
When there is no answer, I feel myself panic.
"Is he alive?"
"Yes."
"Find him."
I feel myself slowly going horizontal again, and I fight the urge to just black out.
"Find my Jungkook."

I sit up, the building nausea in my stomach making me wish I hadn't.
"I need to hurl."
"Bin beside you."
I scramble for it, throwing up the measly contents of my stomach before I flop back down on the bed, lying on my side.
"How are you feeling?"
"Not so good," I answer. "But alive. That's enough for now." I remember the destruction of the hotel room. "Where are we?"
"Hiding in some random motel."
I look up to a sight that will probably ingrain itself in my mind for some time. Jin sits at the foot of the bed, the two Angels flanking him. They weren't fighting. Or trying to kill each other. Or throwing verbal attacks.
An Aamon, a demon and two Angels in a motel room. There had to be a punchline somewhere.
A dull throb of pain hits the back of my head and I groan, rolling over to lie on my front. "What happened back there?"
"You fought in Hell, Your Highness." That was probably one of the Angels. "You transferred much of your power to Azazel which is why you feel so sick."
"I know that," I answer, rolling over to my side again as I stare at them. "I meant back in the hotel room."
There is a solid pause from all three individuals and it takes me a moment. 
"What are you hiding from me?"
I look into Jin's eyes, see him hesitate. "The attack on the suite had remnants of the attacker's power. I traced it back to Caine."
I frown. Why would Caine attack the suite? "Did you manage to find him?"
Jin shakes his head. "Off the radar."
"What was he fighting against?" I ask. "Was it Layla?"
"Taehyung," Jin starts. "It was Caine who attacked the suite."
I feel the colour drain from my face as I stare back at him. "Layla has him."
"I think so too."
That was bad. That was really, really, really bad. Caine was the son of the First Man, cursed to walk the Earth till its destruction. The power he held in his hands could easily rival, or even surpass ours.
"What happened?"
"Caine was probably possessed when we left. The guards probably tried to fight him off but lost."
"Are they okay?"
"He killed them," Jin frankly answers. "I don't know if he got them all, but the remnants of death in the room was strong. The bodies were obliterated."
The grief in my chest is overshadowed by the one person who mattered most.
"And Jungkook?"
"He is alive, Your Highness," one of the Angel says. "We suspect Caine took him."
I close my eyes, the relief so strong that I feel the pinprick of tears against my eyes. "How many did I lose?"
There is silence once more and I open my eyes to brace myself for more bad news.
"Many," Jin answers quietly. "But I'm confident some escaped. Caine could not have possibly -"
"Jin. How many did I lose?"
"Seventy four."
I feel the catch at my throat as my vision blurs from the threat of tears spilling down my face. "I don't have seventy four guards," I rasp.
"Civilians." Jin's one worded answer has my tears spilling anyway, and a sob escapes from my lip before I can stop it.
"She didn't stop?"
"She didn't."
I take in a shuddering breath. It wasn't the time to lose myself. "Who did I lose?"
"Taehyung, it isn't good to dwell and blame -"
"I want to know who died. Please tell me."
Jin hesitates for a moment. "There were traces of Louis - his ashes spread over the room," he finally reveals. "We lost Lavender and Rosé. Hyejong. Caligula. Hector."
"Hector?" I interrupt.
"Yes," Jin affirms, confirming who exactly I'm thinking of. "Hector."
I take a few more moments to continue crying and grieving, my silent tears rolling down my face as I bite at my lips, steadfast against breaking out in hysterical sobs.
"Find him. I want Jungkook back safe."
"It won't be easy." I look up to see that the Angel has spoken. "Caine is equipped with knowledge beyond the boundaries of normal Creation. If Caine intends to stay hidden, he will remain hidden."
I am quiet for a few moments as I wipe at my tears, considering the best course of action. "Adam is the Keeper of the Orbs. Orbs keep track of the past, present and future. He'll know."
I attempt to get up, realising that I'm shaking from the action alone.
"Are you in any state to travel, Your Highness?" the other Angel asks, staring at me with an expression so deadpan, you'd think she was being sarcastic.
"It doesn't matter. I'm travelling anyway. Take me to Heaven." I shift my focus to the other Angel. I hadn't realised it before, but the two Angels had the exact same face, so similar that the only thing distinguishable between them is that one has her hair in tight braids, while the other leaves it in its natural state which very much reminded me of fluffy clouds on a sunny day. Talk about lack of variety.  "You'll stay here to guard Jin and my vessel. Lord curse me if either of us gets possessed by Layla."
The both of them nod in understanding, before the one with curls comes forward and supports me with a firm hold on my elbow. It hurts.
I shift my focus to Jin. "Will you be okay?"
Jin nods. "Go." 
I answer him with a small, tight smile, before the Angel and I disappear in a burst of light. I catch Jin squinting in pain at the light.

The portal opens right before Adam, who looks up in alarm. I fall straight to my knees the moment I hit solid ground, the travelling doing exactly what the Angel said it would - tire me out.
I feel the Angel grip on to my forearm, almost forcing me to stand. Man, these Angels weren't very empathetic creatures. Adam signals her to get away and she lets go. I fall to the ground, nearly crumpling right then and there before Adam comes forward and catches me.
We fall into a sitting position together, me leaning heavily against Adam's chest. 
"What happened?"
"Caine," I breathe, hoping that it's explanation enough.
It isn't, obviously. I hear Adam whisper a spell under his ear, before he basically thumps his open palm against my chest.
I jolt upright, feeling like I'd just slammed into a defillibrator, complete with the feel of electricity running through my veins.
"Ow!" I screech.
"Better?"
I blink. I was. Interesting.
"What happened to my son?" Adam asks, helping me to stand.
"Layla has him." I feel Adam stiffen, staying where he stood. He slowly looks up at me and for a moment I regret revealing the same to him.
"What?"
"Layla's possessed his body," I quickly reveal. "She's using his powers to wreak havoc in our name and she has Jungkook. I need to have access to his orb to find him."
Adam nods. "Come. Your empty vessel shouldn't be left alone for a long time."
I take a step forward, feeling a zap of electricity travel up my spine from where I'd rested my foot. I gasp, and Adam strengthens his hold on me.
"The power will take some time to get used to," Adam breathes, guiding me forward.
"What power?" I ask through gritted teeth. The bursts of pain continue coursing through me.
"Mine."
Wait… what?
Adam moves, helping me walk as he opens up the entrance to the Orbs. We come down the stairs, me biting on to my lips in order to not squeal in pain at every step.
We finally reach the millions of Orbs kept in the endlessly wide room and Adam gently lowers me to a chair I hadn't realised had been there before. 
"Wait here," he murmurs, before going off.
It's a few minutes before Adam reappears, an orb in hand that looks exactly like all the other orbs in the room.
"Jungkook's?"
Adam nods. "Quickly. Place your hand upon it."
I stare at it, hesitating slightly. "How will I find the exact memory I want?"
"You are the Aamon. Concentrate on the proper timeline."
I take a deep breath. My last experience with an Orb hadn't been all that great. 
"What if I don't like what I see?" I breathe. I know I sound childish, but the last time I'd been in an orb, I very nearly went insane.
"The past cannot hurt you unless you allow it to."
I stare at the orb, seeing my reflection stare right back. He was right. I had to push through. I close my eyes and concentrate. I couldn't afford to be wrong again. I place my hands upon the orb, feeling myself being thrown inwards again and brace myself.

Jin looks up when I open my eyes. I sit up just as the Angel who accompanied me materializes by my side.
"I know where he is."
"Let's go," Jin says as I push myself off the bed and slip on my shoes.
"You're not going."
I catch Jin freeze, before he turns to me.
"I saw the future. I wanted to see the past but I saw more. I know what's gonna happen. You're not going."
Jin only stares. Was he dumbfounded?
"The Angel will protect you in case Layla has any plans up her sleeves." I nod in the general direction of the Angel with braids. "You'll be okay. And I'll be okay."
Jin glances at the Angel in question before shifting his focus to me again. "You cannot honestly expect me to adhere."
"I don't," I breathe. Saying this pained me as much as it probably pained him. "But you can't come with me. You shouldn't be fighting. I don't want you to hurt Jungkook and Caine."
I see him pause for two seconds. "You think I would hurt them?"
"In the healing state that you're in, yes," I say bluntly. "I honestly don't know what will happen, but I want to keep you, Jungkook and Caine safe. So please just stay here."
Jin comes a few steps forward and I tense. "I won't let you fight alone."
"I won't be alone," I reason. "Another Angel will be with me."
"You know I don't trust them."
"Jin," I was reaching the point of exasperation as I take two steps towards him. "I want to save Jungkook and Caine. And bring Layla to justice. *And* keep you safe. You said it for yourself. You can't be fighting in your current state. If you come along, you know you'll endanger yourself." I sigh, looking up at him. "I can't focus if I can't protect you," I quietly breathe. "I need you to stay. Please."
Jin takes one long look at me before he closes his eyes and sighs. "I know you'll be safe even without me," he says as he opens them. "I know you can win."
I nod, smiling wanly. "I want you by my side," I confess. "But more than that, I want you to be safe and alive."
Jin closes the distance between us, a hand against my chin as he tilts my head up and kisses me softly against my lips. "Same here," he answers. "Go."
I nod, backing up several steps before I call on to my Holy power, lighting up the room before both Angels respond and slam their swords blade-first into the ground. The corresponding clap of thunder surrounds the room and Jin looks up, slightly confused.
A physical barrier appears between us, a transparent glass wall that quickly rises and surrounds Jin in a humongous dome. Jin's attention shifts to me, a building anger evident on his face.
"Taehyung," he warns.
"It'll keep you safe," I explain. "No soul can enter." Or exit, I think to myself. 
Jin slams a fist against the barrier, producing a jolt of lightning that pushes him back. Now he can't tail me.
"I'll be back as soon as I can," I say. "Just stay in there."

I stare at my surroundings. The Angel is by my side, her sword at the ready.
"Have you ever fought Caine?" I ask, craning my head up at the building. 
"No, Your Highness."
"Have you ever seen him in battle?"
"He used to train Enheduanna, the Second Aamon."
"Was he any good?"
"Throughout her entire rule, Caine has never lost to her."
I glance over my shoulder at her. "Was Enheduanna weak?"
She meets my gaze. "The only people who have ever beaten Caine are the Archangels and Adam."
I swallow. That doesn't sound like very good news.
"You don't need to beat Caine. Just beat Layla."
I didn't want to point out to her that they were currently the same entity so I hold my tongue. Don't be too negative, Taehyung.
I open the passenger door of the ambulance, slipping out in my paramedic disguise. The Angel comes out of the driver's seat, the both of us heading inside the hospital.
"We're both paramedics acting off duty, got it?" I murmur as we push past two twin doors down the hallway. The Angel nods, staring dead ahead.
"Your name's Shaniqua."
This time, she turns to me. "Why?"
"I don't know. You just look like a Shaniqua."
"Is it because I'm black?"
I gasp, stuttering at the accusation. "How dare you - Fine! You're Susan."
A doctor walks between us, interrupting any possible argument I had on my lips. "Afternoon."
"Afternoon, Doctor Huan," the both of us reply, walking a few seconds in silence to let him pass.
"How'd I know his name?" I gasp.
"You're the Aamon, Your Highness."
"Doesn't explain anything," I snap as we turn a bend. "And I can't believe you just insinuated that I'm racist!"
"Only a racist would say that."
I pause for a moment before I gasp, a hand over my mouth. "You're right. I'm so sorry, Susan."
Can an Angel roll her eyes? I think I just saw her do so.
We pass by a trolley and I grab a pair of gloves and a hospital mask that I quickly put on. 
"Disguise?" The Angel asks as I clip my bangs back.
I nod. I was honestly pretty nervous. I'd never had to fight in such a compact, public space. There were countless innocents here, a fact that I'm sure Layla would use to her advantage. The fight had to be quick, and it had to be lethal. I just hope it wasn't lethal on my end.
We near the post-natal unit and I sense Susan pumping up her powers. A pen and watch materialize on her left hand.
"Disable the CCTV."
"Stuck on loop," she replies.
I nod, crouching down low as the entrance to the unit stands before us. Susan follows. It's actually pretty fun to have someone follow my instructions without question. Is this what dictatorship feels like? No wonder it's addictive. I place a hand on the floor as I let my power spread out. I wait a few moments, analyzing the feed I was getting.
"There are too many lives in there," I breathe. "How are we gonna fight?"
"As is, Your Highness."
"Worst Plan Ever, Susan," I retort. "I'm not gonna put all those lives at risk."
"What do you propose?"
I'm quiet for a moment, considering. "I don't know," I finally confess. "But we're not gonna kill anyone, got it?"
"Not even Caine?"
"Especially not Caine! What is wrong with you, goodness!"
I push open the doors of the unit slightly, creeping in with Susan at my tail. I take a quick look around my surroundings, before I slowly rise, inconspicuously straightening and smoothening out my uniform.
Sleeping babies line the vast expanse of the ward, quiet whirring of machines and clicking footsteps of nurses being the only sound in the ward.
I start walking forward in order to look less suspicious, Susan falling in step by my side. A few nurses pass us by, but none pay us much heed.
My eyes start to wander as I scan my surroundings.
"They're not here yet," I breathe. "I'm gonna search for the initiate."
"I will walk with you." 
We take to walking in and out of different rooms, some with parents still slumbering with their newborns, some with newborns in those clear little basinettes.
"Man, security here is lax," I murmur to myself.
"We're in uniform, Your Highness."
I pause suddenly, feeling a weak but obvious throb of power coming from a room nearby. "I got it," I whisper, mostly to myself.
I pick up my pace, turning to my left and walking down the hall before I see two police officers guarding one singular door. I don't flinch, continuing to walk towards them, Susan by my side.
"Hi, we're here to check on the patient and newborn."
"ID, please."
"Sure." I glance at Susan. Whatever the signal, she gets it and smiles slightly at the officers. I catch a quick flash of colour crossing their eyes.
"Your Highness," they murmur, turning to me and getting on one knee. Oh great, non-humans.
"I'm here on official duties," I start, as they stand. "I need to see the newborn. Why are you guarding the parent?"
"She is an inmate, Your Highness."
"Why?"
"Assault. She was protesting the Dakota pipeline construction and physically attacked several officers."
"A fighter," I muse, unable to hide my smile. I like it.
Susan and I enter the room as both officers hold the door open.
A lady sitting upright on the bed looks up at our entrance. She's eating some soup while feeding the infant and smiles warmly at us. I notice her left hand is handcuffed to the railing.
"Good evening," she greets.
"Good evening," I answer, smiling in return. The infant unlatches itself and looks up at me. It seemed to be observing me.
"How are you today?" I ask as she covers herself.
"Good, good. Wish I could stay longer."
"Going back to jail, huh?" I say before I could stop myself. 
"You guessed it," she sighs, thankfully taking my comment in stride. "I don't know who's gonna take care of her."
Susan comes forward, looking likes she's checking the machinery and charts. It really looked like she knew what she was doing. 
Then again, she was an Angel. Her knowledge was probably limitless.
"Family?" I ask.
"I'm a Sioux." At my blank stare, she laughs. "You should probably read up on your patients before you meet them. I'm a Native American - a Red Indian, if you will."
"Oh." I still don't get what it has to do with anything.
"The State will probably take the infant away before the relatives can attempt to look after her," Susan bluntly explains.
"Ohhhhhh. Why?"
"Systematic racism designed to oppress us, obviously," the young mother sighs. "Social workers will be coming soon to assess her anyway."
Oh wow. That was really sad.
The little infant sqwuaks, as if aware we were talking about her. Her eyes are really wide - almost unnerving.
The mother shifts, shushing her as she rocks her gently.
"Have you decided on a name for her yet?"
"Malala Zitkala-Sa." 
"The youngest Noble Peace Prize recipient," I point out, remembering suddenly. Thank God for Jin's nagging. 
"Yes," she answers, smiling warmly. "And a famous ancestor of mine."
"Red Bird," Susan says. "A writer."
"A fighter," the mother corrects, "who fought for Native rights through her writings."
Susan only nods. I probably had some more readings to do. 
Another throb hits me, this time much stronger and obvious than the one coming from Malala. I flinch in pain and hold on to the bed railing.
"Are you alright?" the mother asks.
"Layla is here," I breathe, speaking to Susan.
"Who?" The mother asks, looking legitly concerned for me.
I shift my focus to her. "What's your name?"
"Luna," she answers, blinking blankly in confusion.
"I'm going to be frank with you. You're going to see a bit of a fight. The person coming wants to kill your child but -"
"WHAT?!" she shrieks. "You're crazy!"
"I wish! I already had myself checked. Anyway, my friend Susan and I will be fighting her off. It might get messy but just stay here and hold the baby, got it?"
Luna looks at me in disbelief and anger. "If you think this is some sort of sick *joke*, you better -"
"She's here!" I yell, whirling around just as the sound of yells comes from outside. There is the sickening 'squelching' sound of blade leaving soft flesh and the little glass panel on the door is suddenly painted red from a burst of blood.
I call on to my power as Susan comes to my side, the pen in her hand extending into a sword and the watch spreading its metal plates to form a full body of armour that encompasses everything but her head.
I hear Luna gasp and peer over my shoulder.
"Can you and Malala hide under the bed?"
"The handcuffs -"
I grip on to the metal chain and yank it, easily destroying it with the Holy power coursing in my hands. Luna seems to go pale at my action and she hugs her child tightly to her chest, staring up at me as if I'd kill her right then and there.
"Please," I whisper. "Now."
She finally nods and gets off the bed.
I shift my focus to the door, extending my power to my fingertips. The door literally flies off its hinges, blasting into the opposite end of the room and slamming against the windows.
Layla enters, wearing Caine's vessel with Jungkook by her side.
"Taehyung!" My little one yells in surprise the moment he sees me.
"Hi baby," I greet, before throwing a blast of Holy Power in their direction.
Jungkook is quick enough to jump to the side just as the explosion hits Layla and throws her back. Susan leaps into battle, with Layla immediately throwing her arms up against her face to absorb the blow.
I leap to the side, catching Jungkook just before he hits the ground.
"Hi Mama," he says as we untangle our limbs from each other. "How'd you find me?"
"Went up to Heaven to ask Adam."
"You went up to Heaven just to find me?"
I stand, taking aim and forming finger guns. I blast bursts of power towards Layla in between her fight with Susan.
"I would've done way more than that to get you by my side safe again. How long has it been since Layla took you?"
"Two weeks," Jungkook answers, taking refuge behind me as Layla throws a spell in my direction. I manage to deflect it and it bounces up to hit the ceiling. The debris rains down on us.
"Did she hurt you in any way?"
"A little bit. She wanted info. When that didn't work, she planned to use me as bait."
"She succeeded," I say. "I'm here now."
"Thanks for coming to fetch me, Mama. She told me you would."
The ground beneath our feet starts to shake. The battle was growing in intensity. Both Layla and Susan's blows were starting to crack the walls of the room.
"What else did she tell you?"
"That the initiates were taking away the power from you and that we had to stop them."
Susan manages to hit Layla with a burst of power that knocks her flying straight out the window and Susan follows suit, wings bursting out her back to give chase.
"What!" I yell. "You didn't believe her, did you?"
"I did. I was afraid she'd hurt you."
I turn around fully to face Jungkook. "Did she tell you anything else?"
"Nothing too important."
I hear the sound of a blade exiting its sheath, before feeling white hot pain against my stomach. I flinch, feeling something against me that most definitely did not belong there.
"Just to watch yourself." 
I peer down, seeing the hilt of a dagger lying horizontal against my stomach.
I look up to Jungkook, who only stares back with a dead expression.
"Surprise." A woman's voice leaves his lips. That was most definitely not Jungkook.
He wraps his hand around the hilt before he rips it out. I gasp, the pain so great that I can't even say anything.
I stagger back, clutching at my wound. The hell was that blade made off? Why was the pain so intense?
"Layla," I breathe, staring up at her.
She does nothing but smiles, taking a step forward.
The pain is too great, and I fall backwards, landing hard on my back.
Oh fcuk. This means that Susan's fighting someone who's not Layla. She was fighting Caine. And I had no idea who would win in a battle of that degree.
"Tell me where the initiate is."
"You're crazy," I manage to spit out.
"Tell me where the initiate is" she repeats, using Jungkook's lips to speak. "And I will heal you."
"Fcuk you," I spit.
She plunges the dagger again, stabbing me straight in the middle of my chest. I scream in pain, instinctively clutching on to her wrist to hold the dagger in place. I physically feel something being punctured ins1de me as my breath becomes raspy and I taste blood on my tongue.
I look up to Layla, instead seeing Jungkook with a crazed look in his eyes.
"Where is the initiate?" She'd said it in Jungkook's voice. Something in me snaps, and I fold both legs towards my chest, sending my power against my soles before I slam my feet against Layla's chest. She literally flies, slamming into the wall and going straight through it.
There are yells and screams of panic from the other side as the commotion builds and babies start crying.
I pant, alight with pain and shock. I cough, turning over to my side to spit out blood. I nearly scream in shock when I come face to face with Luna and Malala hiding under the bed. I'd nearly forgotten about them.
Luna hugs Malala tightly against her chest, her eyes on the verge of tears yet her expression ferocious and fierce.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah," she answers, her voice shaking slightly. "You?"
"Been better," I confess. I push myself up into a sitting position. There was no being discreet about this anymore. The main focus should be getting everyone to safety now. "He's coming back soon," I say. "We have to go."
Luna nods, quickly crawling out the bed as she stands by my side. "Where do we go?"
"Down." I rest a hand against both her shoulders as she stares at me. "Ready?"
At her nod, I shove her out the wide gaping hole that was once a window ledge and watch her eyes widen with panic and confusion. She screams, still holding on to Malala and falls fifteen stories.
I peer over my shoulder, seeing Layla picking herself up and stalking forward with murder in her eyes. It was now or never.
I jump.
The ground seems to be a lot scarier when you're hurtling a few hundred miles per second towards it. I let us fall for a few seconds, before I make a pulling motion. The ground below me rises, catching the both of us like a baseball mitt.
"WHAT THE FCUK!" The screeching comes from Luna, who steadies herself the moment the earth flattens and is standing on her own two feet again. "WHATTHEFCUKWHATTHEFCUKWHATTHEFCUK!"
"Okay, you're gonna have to stop," I point out. "We have to run." I take one step forward, immediately falling to the ground as my body literally gives up on me.
"WHATTHEFCUK!" Luna screams as she comes to me. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," I answer. "Is Malala okay?"
"Yeah."
"Good." I take a second to close my eyes and just steady myself. I'm in a lot of pain and I can feel blood seeping into my trachea. This fight better not last long. 
I open my eyes and push myself off the ground. I look up to the hospital building and see Jungkook staring down at us.
Layla doesn't even hesitate, jumping and freefalling down the building.
"Sh1t's about to go down," I say to Luna. "Whatever happens, hold on to Malala."
"Why does he want to kill my baby? What are you gonna do?" There is obvious exasperation in her tone as she stares at me.
"Fight," I reply. By the obvious grace of God, my voice cracks hysterically as I say it.
Layla lands, the sound of the impact so loud that the soundwave literally slams into us. I grab Luna, bodily protecting her from harm.
"WHATTHEFCUK!" 
"You shouldn't be swearing near an infant," I say as I straighten, staring at Layla who's landed a distance away. I push Luna behind me. Layla's created a literal crater upon impact. How bloody heavy was she?
"I can't explain all of it, but that's my son," I explain in a hushed whisper to Luna. "Someone has possessed him and wants to kill your baby because she believes the baby will be the future Aamon - a person who deals with souls and the afterlife."
"You're fcuking crazy," Luna breathes against my ear.
Layla stands, finally meeting my eyes.
"I'm the one you want," I start. "Leave them out of this."
She makes a motion, as if cracking a whip into empty air. True enough, a whip made of Holy power materializes in her hands.
"You can't be this evil, Layla," I call out. "The power chose you as initiate. There must be a reason why you're doing all this."
Layla throws the whip forward and it cracks against my hand, wrapping around my wrist. She pulls, and I literally fly.
Luna screams as Layla swings me in a wide arc. I slam into the gravel, feeling the rupture ins1de me worsen as a burst of blood spurts out of my mouth as I hit the ground. The pain that I'm hit with runs down to my toes. I don't even have the strength to groan in pain.
I twirl the whip once around my wrist before I pull. Layla is dragged forward, though not before she digs her heels into the ground.
I throw a burst of fire down the length of the whip. It immediately combusts as it hits her face and she lets go.
I throw a burst of Holy power in her direction which she easily evades.
Good. I wasn't aiming for her.
My power lands on Luna, encompassing her and child in a bubble of protection. I needed the assurance that they'd at least be okay.
"Layla," I start again, shifting my attention to her. "Hear me out." I raise my hands, trying to show that I meant no harm. Jungkook is staring back at me, the anger on his face unfamiliar. "I'm willing to talk, and I hope you are too. Please."
Layla takes one step forward. Damn Jungkook's face for looking so freaking innocent. I take my own step towards her, hands still raised. "You were raised to be Aamon," I slowly continue. "You know whatever it is an Aamon's supposed to do, it's supposed to be selfless, for the greater good." I my suddenly dry lips. "For the equalibrium between this world and the next. The power chooses the successor. It wouldn't choose wrong. You were initiate for a reason."
"You were never raised like me." I feel my eyes widen in wary surprise. I'd somehow gotten through to her. "You would never understand."
She is suddenly standing before me. I didn't even know she could move that fast. Her hand is around my throat before I can defend myself, and my feet are lifted off the ground.
"All my life," she starts, "all I've known is the life of an initiate." I start gagging and squirming on the spot, my hands around her fingers as I attempt to pry her fingers off. "You would never understand, Fifth Aamon."
"Let me try," I manage to croak out.
Black spots are starting to appear in my vision but I try my best to maintain eye contact. 
Something seems to hit her and I feel the grip soften.
I immediately fall to the ground, coughing hysterically as I clutch at my throat. I'm fully expecting some sort of attack from Layla. 
When there is nothing for three full seconds, I look up. Jungkook is looking back at me, but the look in his eyes is Layla's.
We maintain eye contact for a moment, and I can *see* Layla hesitate. She's about to say something. I swear the both of us are having a moment when something literally slams into her, throwing her a distance.
It takes me a moment to realise that it's a car.
"NO!" I scream as the back door opens. I'd just lost the only fukcing chance I had to stop her.
"Get in!" I gawk for a moment. Caine is driving, with Susan riding shot gun beside him. "Come on!"
I dive in, landing on the back seat as Caine floors it. I feel a very obvious bump that was most likely Layla as we run over her.
"Luna!" I shriek. I'd nearly forgotten about her. "Turn back!"
No one comments, but Caine makes a wild swerve that throws me against the opposite door. He jams his break on suddenly and I slam against the shot gun seat. He floors it again and I am thrown back against my seat.
Okay, time to put on the seatbelt.
"Are you alright, Taehyung?" Caine asks, doing very well in hiding the panic beneath his tone.
I peer at the carseat. Splattered in blood.
"Uhhhhhhh yes."
"That's a very long pause," he comments before turning in his seat, an arm resting against the windowsill. "Reversing," he says suddenly.
"Why?" I ask.
Layla suddenly appears, landing against the bonnet hard enough to rock the entire vehicle.
"That's why." The car bolts back, travelling backwards. Layla nearly loses her balance until she jumps and land on the hood of the car.
"Get her off!" I screech, just as a blade pierces through the hood, missing me by half a foot. "Caine!"
Caine makes another wild turn, and we are all thrown to the left. The blade moves as well, dragging along the hood till it creates one clean slice over my head.
A solid punch is enough to pierce through the metal roof and I look up to see Layla staring back at me.
I throw a beam of Holy Power straight at her, and it hurls Layla right off the car.
"I'll deal with it," Susan suddenly says, winding down her window and slipping out to climb on the roof of the car. She jumps, going straight into battle with Layla.
"Luna!" I yell at Caine as he floors it again, going forward this time. "We can't leave her."
Caine glances back at me for a moment. It looks like he's calculating. "Okay."
He continues speeding, and I see Luna and Malala a distance away. 
"There!" I yell, pointing.
"I can't afford to stop. Grab them and let's get out of here."
I stare at Caine in disbelief. "Excuse me, *HOW?*"
"Just grab them with your power."
"She just gave birth and the initiate is an *infant*! They're fragile."
Caine is quiet for exactly two seconds. I see the clench in his jaw and his tightening grip on the steering wheel. "Okay," he answers through gritted teeth, before he makes a wild u-turn. The car screams, almost in protest as Caine hits the accelerator and we shoot forward.
"Be quick!" Caine commands just as Luna and Malala are within reach. He jams on the brakes and I slip off my seatbelt. 
Luna has literally not moved from where she stood. The gravity of the situation is starting to get to her and she hugs Malala tightly against her chest. I see her shaking slightly.
"Luna!" I yell as I get out the car. "Come on!"
She shifts her focus to me. That is a lot of fear in one pair of eyes. She shakes her head.
"Luna!" I call again. "You have to move!"
She doesn't budge. Not even a fcuking inch.
I run to her, shutting off the protective dome around her before I grab her by her forearm and start running back to the car again.
"No!" I look over my shoulder. Luna looks desperate to the point of tears. "I can't!"
"What are you talking about? If you don't move, we'll all die!"
"My stitches," she breathes. I stare at her in confusion. "Cesarian," she continues.
I look down, finally noticing that she's clutching at her lower stomach, as if she's keeping her organs in with the power of just one hand. Her legs and the ground she stands on are drenched in blood. I feel myself go pale.
Her stitches are tearing open.
"I can't move," she says, voice starting to shake. "Take Malala and go."
"No." I wasn't about to just leave her. Also I don't trust myself to hold a baby that can barely support its own head up. "I won't leave you."
I come to her side, slinging her arm over my shoulder. "Let's go."
I half carry and half drag her towards the car. Luna just about collapses on the back seat as I slam the door shut. I run forward towards the shot gun seat when Susan suddenly slams against the roof, leaving a deep indent. I flinch, backing away several steps.
I stare. There is a sword sticking out of Susan's chest, which she wordlessly pulls out. The both of us exchange a glance.
"Caine, go."
"What?"
Susan stands, this time her wings extend fully from her back. Each feather looks like a glass shard.
"Bring Luna to safety. Layla's just gonna trail us. It's better to split up."
After a moment's consideration, Caine nods. He floors it. Susan doesn't move from her position, floating in place.
"You're getting weaker," Susan points out.
I ignore the comment, coughing out a chunk of coagulated blood onto the pavement. I can hear my own raspy breathing.
"Layla is weaker without a vessel," I say. "We need to try extract her from Jungkook."
"And how do you plan to do that?"
"I have a rough idea. Just follow my lead."
Susan only nods.
Layla appears out of nowhere, literally bursting out of the ground in an explosion of dirt that disorients me. Susan flaps her glass wings once and the dust is cleared. I look up to see her stand before me, already positioned to strike.
Her blade moves. I manage to catch it between my palms before it pierces through me again.
"Why won't you just stop?!" I exasperate, throwing a blow of Hell against her chest. Layla backtracks exactly one step, before she holds her hands up, palms outwards just as Susan lands a powerful blow with her own sword against the barrier Layla has literally just set up milliseconds before.
It creates a shockwave that literally throws the three of us back. 
I land against the ground like a sack of potatoes, rolling thrice before I'm able to stop. I scamper up, calling on to my power before I encompass myself and Susan. 
A blast of power hits us, angry white flames of Hell screaming against my shield. I produce a scream of my own, falling to my knees in pain.
Layla was too strong.
The flames are eating at my power, slowly thinning my shield till the heat starts peeling my skin off. I was going to boil alive in here.
I curl into myself, shrinking the circumference of my shield before I explode outwards. The flames immediately die as my power hits Layla.
I stand just as Layla steadies herself. The explosion has pushed her back and she stands a small distance away from me.
"Is that all you got, you stupid b1tch?!" I scream.
Layla doesn't move, but the ground around us starts to shake. Crevices form on the gravel road we stand on. She was showing off her power. 
"Your Highness," Susan starts. It seemed like a warning.
I stalk forward, each step blinding me with pain.
"I am the Fifth Aamon," I say, activating my powers as my hands glow with Holy Power. "Like it or not, it's gonna stay this way!"
Layla charges forward and I do the same.
She raises her arms, and a large chunk of the ground rises upwards like a tsunami, bringing with it the cars, lamp posts and anything that had been previously anchored to the pavement. She drops it upon me, the entire physical wave threatening to obliterate me.
I counter it with a blast of Holy power that completely swallows the wave. I feel a tear somewhere in my body, which was most definitely it slowly giving up on me.
The power slams straight into Layla, disorienting her for a few moments.
"Susan, go!" I yell.
The Angel moves, shooting Layla with a beam of light that is immediately absorbed into Jungkook's body. She screams, dropping to her knees. I take the moment and run forward, making myself incorporeal before I dive straight into her.
Because she's in pain and distracted, it actually works this time and I see myself being encompassed in the darkness that is an earthly vessel.
"Taehyung!" I hear Jungkook call my name and I immediately whirl around. A soul cannot be possessed by another soul. That had to be him.
"Jungkook!" I scream, seeing nothing there. My own voice echoes back at me. I stalk forward, feeling my anger rise. "Layla! Show yourself!"
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Layla appears, standing before me barefoot in a white dress that fell to her knees. I take a moment to stare.
So this is what she truly looked like. 
Pictures don't seem to do her justice. She is much older in photos, but the person standing before me is in her mid twenties at most.
She's white - probably the first Caucasian I've seen in the Aamon's Court. She is tall, her shoulders square and her eyes a striking blue. Very Brooke Shields-y.
And very, very scary.
"Layla." 
She stares at me, taking one step forward. She is a regal beauty, born and molded to be some sort of sovereign and if I hadn't know that she was out here murdering people left and right, I'd straight up believe that she'd make a way better Aamon than me.
"Yes," she responds, taking another step forward. Damn, even her voice was super sultry. Very fitting for a queen.
"Where's Jungkook?" I breathe, trying to keep myself in focus.
"Here." Jungkook is suddenly by her side, holding her hand. He wasn't there half a second ago. I blink. I'm sure he wasn't there.
"Let him go," I say. I note how my voice is shaking slightly. Jungkook matches his actual age in spirit, and instead of the adult sized Jungkook I'm so used to seeing, what stands before me is a little child, most definitely eight years old. He is what Jungkook's would have looked like without accelerated growth. "He has nothing to do with this."
Layla unexpectedly lets go of his hand, and little Jungkook looks up at her, wide eyed and scared as his hand falls to his side. He doesn't move, and I get it.
It could well be a trap. Jungkook could run to me, fully vulnerable and exposed and Layla could somehow hurt him enough to kill him.
So he backs away, tiny, wary steps as he moves back from us until he stands a considerable distance.
"What do you want, Layla?" I ask. She hasn't moved, not even an inch, and her gaze is still leveled at me. "Why are you doing this?"
"You know I could kill you, right here, right now?" I freeze. Okay. That wasn't an answer to the question. "But I won't. You are not my target. Stay out of my way."
I blink. "Excuse me?" I retort before I can stop myself. "I'm not your target? We were literally in battle. You hurt and killed my friends. You have been going around killing innocent babies and civilians and you mean to tell me -"
"You are not my target," she repeats again, in such a way that I immediately shut up. "I will not kill you."
"Then why are you doing this?" I breathe, knowing she can fully hear me. "What's your point in doing all this? You won't kill me but you destroy everything around me. My guards, my headquarters. You kill *our* initiates. *Our* future Aamons. You cause all this chaos and ruin and you tell me it has nothing to do with me?"
"You were never raised like me," she says, repeating what she'd said to me before. "You would never understand."
"Help me understand," I plead. "You don't have to do all this. Layla, please."
She closes her eyes, saying nothing. A light starts to exude from her body, so bright that I have to squint to continue looking at her. She opens her eyes and they are fully white. She was fuelling her self with Holy Power.
"Twelve Apostles," I hear her say, her voice seeming to come from everywhere at once, "with one to not be trusted."
"Layla, NO!" I scream, just as the power leaves her body, slamming into me and forcefully ejecting me out of Jungkook.
I slam onto solid ground, feel Jungkook land right beside me. I'm left reeling in shock and pain as Susan appears by my side, a hand against my shoulder.
"Your Highness, you're injured."
"Get us to Jin," I gasp. "Now."

"So she got away?"
"Yeah," I sigh, as I gingerly my bloodied shirt. My stab wounds are healed thanks to the Angels, and Jungkook is back to his usual happy self after a feeding.
Caine frowns in obvious disapproval as he leans against the wall. 
"She'll find us," I say. "Don't worry."
"Taehyung, that is a *big* cause of worry," Jin points out. "You're heavily injured and I can't fight. Jungkook is still healing and we have that *baby* over there currently acting like a beacon to Layla."
I glance at Luna. She hugs Malala to her chest as if afraid something might pop up and grab the infant from her arms. The strong, brazen woman I'd seen at the hospital is in scatters as she sits on the sofa at the corner of the room, traumatized and in shock over the events that had just happened.
It makes me think about my own mental state. How fcuked up was I inside?
Twelve Apostles, with one to not be trusted.
What did she mean? Why do these people always speak in riddles?
"I'm not leaving her," I say. "They won't make it without some sort of protection." I throw my shirt in the bin and grab a sweater Jin had swiped from God knows where, before I pull it over my head.
"Taehyung," Jin starts again, using that tone he uses when he's trying really hard to be patient and reason with me. "New initiates will -"
"- always be born, I know. New initiates will take the baby's place. But a new Aamon will take my place too. So why risk your life for me at all?"
"Taehyung -"
"Enough." I look up to see five pairs of eyes look back at me. Jungkook, Jin, Caine and the two Angels. "I'm not leaving both mother and child until I know the threat has been contained." 
I turn to Caine, who has not moved from where he stood. "Tell Adam the Orb was wrong."
"The Orbs are never wrong."
"Well, either that or Layla has the power to alter fate," I retort. "The Orb showed that it was you who'd be possessed. You would destroy everything and battle Jin until Jin killed you. It was all in Jungkook's Orb and I was about to lose my *goddamned* mind thinking of how to stop it."
Caine stares as I finish my outburst.
"Tell Adam either the Orb was wrong, or Layla somehow knew - and had the power to alter the future. Either one of them is a problem we have to solve."
A powerful throb in the back of my head has me pausing, gasping as I take the pain in. I nearly lose balance until Jungkook and Susan come to me, steadying me with a stern grip on each forearm.
"What's wrong?" Jungkook says, voice dripping with concern.
It takes me a moment to collect myself, to not grip my head in pain and not rip my roots out. "I'm fine," I breathe, pushing both of them away. I straighten, looking up at Caine. "I lost a lot of people who were dear to me when Layla possessed you. I can't lose any more."
Caine understood the signal, nodding once before he is gone.
Silence descends the motel room after Caine leaves, tense and somewhat painful.
"Taehyung," Jungkook starts.
"I know," I say before he can continue and tell me things I already know. "I know it isn't his fault. But it's too dangerous to have Caine around. If Layla possesses him again, I'm definitely done for."
"When Layla possessed me, do you think I was a boy or a girl?"
I close my eyes, running both hands through my hair. I am tired, grieving, in pain and looking for someone to blame.
My baby Jungkook is trying to distract me from all those emotions to try, in his own little innocent way, to make me feel better.
"I don't know, baby," I answer, forcing a smile. "You can be whatever you want to be."
"Even a girl?"
"You can be genderless for all I care. Just be you. Be happy."
Jungkook gives me one of those smiles - those tiny, innocent smiles. The ones that children always have on when they have nought a care in the world.
My emotions build up in my throat as I stare at him. Why couldn't I raise him like a normal kid?
Worse, Malala has started crying, a loud, angry wailing that really seemed to pierce through my eardrums. I press my hands against my ears as Luna somewhat scrambles to shush her.
"Please shut up," I whimper. I wasn't in the mood to deal with this. "Please shut up, please shut up."
Jin suddenly gets up and comes to Luna. He says a few inaudible words to her before he takes Malala in his arms. He does that distinct rock-sway motion that most parents seem to instinctively know, and the baby's cries die down immediately.
I stare at the strange sight of Jin holding a baby.
"How'd you know how to do that?" I ask.
"I'm very old," Jin replies, his usual answer when he's too lazy to get too into it. He comes over to us - it's a pretty tiny motel room, and shows us the baby.
Malala's eyes are round and intelligent, her skin is a deep tan and her eyelashes are crazy as she stares back at us.
Jungkook instinctively coos, poking the infant with his finger. Malala grabs onto it, looking crazy strong for someone who isn't even a week old.
"Look at that," Jungkook muses. "My baby sister. The future Aamon. You think she'll be a good one?"
"With Taehyung as her mentor, yes," Jin replies.
I look up, glancing at Luna to see if she's alright. I freeze.
"No," I breathe, feeling my soul leave my body. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no." I run to her, placing a hand against her cheek. She is ice cold and as pale as a sheet, barely breathing as she slumps against the sofa. "SHHIT!"
The other Angel is immediately by my side, placing two fingers below Luna's ear to check for a pulse. 
"We have to get help," I breathe. "We should take her to the hospital."
"I have an idea," the Angel beside me says. I turn to face her, expecting her to say something. Instead, she encompasses herself in light, absorbing herself into Luna's body before the light disappears and Luna opens her eyes, sitting up.
"What the *fcuk*," I breathe, staring wide-eyed.
"My presence in her body will heal her," the Angel says, using *her* voice while she remained in Luna's body. She stands up, and I take an automatic step back. "We have to keep moving."
I waste a few more seconds to stare at the large patch of blood left against the sofa. Amazing the physical change in aura when an Angel possesses you.
"I know a place."

"I thought you hated this place," Jin points out.
"I do," I confirm. "But what other choice do I have?"
He frowns, arms crossed over his chest as we stare up at the massive abode. For a structure thousands of years old, the estate held itself pretty well.
I walk forward, hearing the rest follow behind me. 
The ground is paved in stones while snow disguises the castle from being too visible to eyes. The skies here are perpetually dark and heavy with storm clouds that never rain. The place is freezing because of its location and unnatural, dead silence rings in our ears.
If 'haunted' were a place, this was most definitely it.
Jungkook jogs forward, wrapping himself around my arm.
"I don't like this place," he whispers. 
"Neither do I."
We stop at what I assume had to be the entrance of the castle - large, unnecessary steps that lead up to twin pairs of heavy oak doors.
"You think anyone's home?" I say aloud, mostly to lessen the nerves I was feeling as I size up the place.
"The Parliament do not leave the Court," Susan says.
"Like…ever?" Jungkook asks.
"Never."
"I better go knock," I say, making my way up the steps. Jungkook's hold falls away and I quickly realise I was walking up alone. Perhaps it would be better that way.
"What's that?" I hear Jungkook say as I stare at the nearing entrance. I glance over my shoulder to see Jungkook pointing at a stone tower a small distance away from the castle, standing alone amidst a clearing. There is a cross smack in the middle of the tower, as if what lay inside it was too unHoly to be seen.
"The place where the third Aamon Sobekneferu was tortured and then killed for refusing to heed to the demands of the Parliament," Susan explains.
A shudder runs up my spine as I turn my gaze away. I remember. Sobekneferu had mentioned it in passing.
"So what does the 'T' stand for?" I hear Jungkook innocently ask.
"It is not a 'T', Jungkook," Jin patiently explains. "It's a cross. Sobekneferu was crucified and her body left outside as a warning to other initiates to not disobey them."
"Who's 'them'?"
"The Parliament."
"Oh…" There is a short silence of which I know Jungkook needs to take a moment to absorb this information. Then I hear his quiet whisper of realization. "Oh no…"
'Oh no', indeed.
I reach the top of the stairs and am now facing the twin doors. I'm not exactly sure what to do. Do I knock? Do I press some sort of bell?
But the universe answers my question for me when one of the twin doors slowly opens, revealing a figure I've never seen before - yet am completely familiar with.
"The Fifth Aamon. Welcome home."
I stop in my tracks, staring at the figure. A quiet fear starts to creep up up my toes.
"How'd you know I was coming?" I ask the hooded figure.
"The Parliament is always aware."
I peer over my shoulder to four pairs of eyes staring back at me from the bottom of the stairs. I signal them forward with a tilt of my head. 
I guess it's now or never.

"Fifth Aamon. We have expected your arrival. We bid you welcome."
I stare at the twelve individuals seated at the long table, all aged, all in outfits of an era that were a few millenia ago, all staring at me.
I wonder why there are twelve. It would be kind of strange for an acting parliament to have an even number of members, right? 
"Now you recognize me as Aamon?" I say, feeling my power coursing through my veins. I was wary, and my power was responding accordingly.
"When need be," the one on the far left agrees.
"I'll get to the point," I say, swallowing my growing discomfort. "I need safe haven for my friends. Layla escaped Heaven and wants to kill my initiate." I point to my initiate a distance away, being held protectively by the Angel. Jin and Jungkook take a step forward, shielding Malala from view.
"*Our* initiate," the one in the middle says. The grey haired old man who had spoken was the one I'd met in Heaven - who had testified against me. I realise that there is a space between him and the seventh person on his left, almost as if they're saving space for someone else to sit.
"She is not yours," I growl. "She will not be touched nor communicate with any of you."
"The initiate will require our training and guidance." A woman has spoken this time, one of only three amongst the twelve. Her white hair is slicked back to show sharp cheekbones and cheeks sagging with age. 
"You have destroyed the initiates and made the Aamon into your toy. God knows how you've made Layla turn against us. Your training and guidance have done nothing!"
"Fifth Aamon," another man, a black guy with his hair cropped short, hums with patience. "You require our assistance and we are willing to provide. Considering your current predicament, all other matters are secondary - no?"
I swallow my words. He was right.
"We will not help you," says the one I'd met in Heaven, "for Layla, as a soul, is no longer under our jurisdiction. If you are killed, then a new Aamon will succeed you. It is not our loss. But we will provide the Court as safe sanctuary for your friends as long as need be."
"You will protect them in the event that Layla attacks?"
"No."
"Then you will not communicate with them. You shall not speak, sign or write to them, nor will you lay a hand on them."
"Agreed," he says.
Another woman, arguably Arab, speaks up. "And what will the Aamon give in exchange?"
"Taehyung, no!" Jin warns, before he gasps, immediately silent. I panic, knowing how ruthless the Parliament could be, and I whip my head around.
Jin is on his knees, a hand against his chest while Jungkook hovers over him in concern. Jin's eyes are wide as the Other Angel takes a step back, shifting her position so Malala is not in the line of attack. It quickly hits me that Jin isn't in pain anymore. He's just shocked.
I turn back to the Parliament.
"I said to not lay a hand on them!"
"The Aamon and his Parliament shall not be exposed to outside influence." All twelve of them had spoken at once, running goosebumps up my spine as I stare. "They must remain impartial."
"He wasn't trying to influence me," I breathe, trying really hard to calm down. I close my eyes, taking a moment before I open them. "If you give them safe sanctuary - a place where Layla will not get to them, or hurt them, then I will protect the Court in the event that she attacks. I will protect you, all of you."
"Does the Fifth Aamon presume his Parliament to be weak?" A member on the far right says.
"Have you seen her?" I answer. "Layla has already killed multiple people. She's destroyed buildings, casted spells and leaps from body to body as if nothing tires her. She's attacked Angels, Demons and the First Son. You think you can win?"
There is short silence, as all twelve members stare back at me. 
"All in favour of the Fifth Aamon's proposal say 'I'," one of the members say.
"I," all of them say at once. I wonder if they are all one entity. They seemed to move and think as one.
"The friends of the Fifth Aamon shall stay," says my Head of Parliament, "in exchange for the protection he grants the Parliament."
And then - I shhit you not - the Parliament fade away. Not only that, the table, walls, ceiling, *everything* was fading away as if they hadn't been real in the first place.
I panic, whirling around to the four who thankfully are still standing there.
"You guys are seeing this, right?" I breathe.
Only Jungkook nods, eyes wide and mouth hanging open as he stares.
And then everything resolidifies.
But we aren't in the same place. We're in some kind of really large bedroom with carpeted floors, a massive kingsized bed and a few other necessities. The walls tell me that I'm still in the same building, but the view from the open window tell me we're not even on the same floor.
"What just happened?" I squeak.
"We teleported," the Other Angel says.
*"How?"*
"The Parliament," she answers.
"They forcefully teleported us?"
"This place is jammed full of power," Jin explains, as the Other Angel comes to sit on the bed and starts feeding Malala as if nothing here fazed her.
Did I need to remind her that we were just teleported? Against our will? The sheer power of that act has me nearing hysterics. 
How strong were the Parliament?
"Is it the location?" Jin hums, mostly to himself.
"Partly," Susan answers. "But most of the power comes from the Parliament themselves. Thousands of years of initiates and Parliament has molded the magic into the walls. Any entity with a smidge of magic would be instantly stronger here."
"Even souls?" Jungkook asks.
"Even souls."
Damn. I guess there really is no fighting this.
We naturally dissipate, Jin moving to stare out the window, Susan sitting by the Other Angel's side while Jungkook decides to explore the room.
It really is pretty large. I vaguely wonder who slept here. An initiate? The Aamon? A member of Parliament?
"What's that?" Jungkook stares straight up at the ceiling, his neck craned back. Jin and I follow his gaze.
The ceiling is painted like a Renaissance painting, covering the whole expense of it with intricate details and faded colours.
"The Last Supper," Jin answers.
"The what?"
"A painting by Leonardo Da Vinci," he explains. "It shows the reactions after Jesus predicted one of the Apostles would betray him."
Jungkook only blinks, glancing at Jin before staring up at the ceiling again. "Were they Jesus' friends?"
"Yes."
"So why would one betray him?"
"Who knows," Jin shrugs. "Some say he did it for money. Some say he did what he thought was right. Sometimes people do things we can't really comprehend."
"Were they his *best* friends?"
"The Twelve Apostles were some of Jesus' closest allies."
Twelve Apostles, huh? Wasn't that exactly what Layla had said?
"So who betrayed him?" I ask.
"Judas Iscariot," Jin answers.
"Was he a friend of yours?"
"Where do you think I got the Blood of Jesus from?"
Oh.
"Was he a bad guy?" Jungkook asks.
At the question, Jin frowns lightly. "He had good intentions," he finally says after a length of silence.
Jungkook walks away, seeming to have lost interest.
In place of a door, there is only a heavy curtain that separated this room from the hallway outside, and I suppose Jungkook naturally gravitates towards it.
He goes through the curtains.
And immediately walks in again.
I stare. That was quick.
Jungkook pauses. Something is whirring in that mind of his.
He walks towards the curtains again, goes through them, and immediately walks out. 
He does this again thrice, and this time, we are all staring at him.
He stands before the curtains again, this time warily pushing one arm through, only to have the said arm peeping back out towards him through the curtain folds.
He shrieks, taking a few steps back.
"What the Hell," Jin murmurs, coming forward and going through the curtains too. He walks right back in.
"We're trapped," Jungkook points out.
I swear under my breath. If this was a trap from the Parliament, so help me Lord…
"Let me try," I say, as I walk through the curtains.
And come out standing in the hallway, the member of Parliament who'd greeted me at the door facing me.
"Mama!" I hear Jungkook shriek from inside.
I stare at the individual before it hits me.
"A spell," I marvel.
"Our part of the agreement is done," he explains. "No entity shall enter or exit within the protection of the spell, unless the Parliament or the Aamon will it so."
"I can shut off the spell?"
"Yes," he says. "But you will not be able to turn it back on again."
And he fades away, just like that.
I go through the curtains again, entering the bedroom and immediately duck just as Jin throws a firebomb to my face. The entirety of the bomb is absorbed into the curtains like some sort of black hole before it pops back out again. 
Jungkook jumps out of the way as Jin catches it and is absorbed into his skin.
"Taehyung!" Jungkook yells, running to me and wrapping me in a hug. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," I comfort, briefly returning the hug before Jungkook straightens and helps me to stand. "It's just a spell. It doesn't affect me."
"Why?" Jin asks. 
I shrug. "It was part of the agreement, I guess?"
"How long will it last?" Susan asks. 
I shift my gaze to her. She's moved to stand by the window, looking out at the view below.
"As long as we need it to. Why?"
Another stab of pain hits my head and I literally fall to the ground this time, landing hard on my shoulder before the carpetted floor softens the blow of my head.
"Taehyung!" Jin sits me up almost immediately and Jungkook is by my side in concern.
"She's here," Susan says.
"Is she solid?" I ask, pausing once to groan in pain. That was a hard one.
"Not for now."
"That means she'll probably possess one of the Parliament," I say, hurriedly moving to stand. "I have to move."
Susan finally tears her gaze away from the window. "I shall come with you, Your Highness."
I nod. "Let's go."
"Be careful," Jungkook mewls as I turn to leave.
I face him again, pulling him into a hug as I kiss his temple. "I'll be back soon. Protect your baby sister."
I turn to Jin. "Don't do anything stupid - like try to escape and help me. I'm already in Susan's good hands."
"Replacing me already."
I roll my eyes at him. Humour from Jin. Imagine that.

I reach the main room, the place where I'd met the twelve members of Parliament. Strangely enough, I knew exactly where the room was and where to go. In fact, I'm pretty sure I could navigate this place blindfolded. It was my first time here and I knew it like I've been here all my life.
Weird.
The members of Parliament are already there, seated at their long table as if they expect an audience.
"Layla is coming," I say.
"We are aware."
"You should go and hide. I don't know the extent of her powers. She might possess -"
"The walls of the Court are protected against all forms of attack."
The ground suddenly shakes, and a roar sounds from outside as something very huge and powerful slams into the castle. Everything moves and I lurch forward.
"Hell, yeah it is," I murmur as Susan grabs me by my sleeve to steady me. "The Court is weak, and you know it. The battle with Beelzebub made all the initiates sacrifice their lives for me and destroyed half the Court. That was just a few months ago. You really think this place will hold?"
"Your Highness." I whirl around to Susan, seeing her stare down the hallway that lead to the meeting room.
I follow her gaze.
And see Layla - in full, solid form. 
She looks exactly like how I'd seen her in Jungkook's vessel, only this time, we weren't in spirit form.
She was solid. As solid as a living, breathing person.
"What the *fcuk*," I breathe, staring as she walks towards us, barefoot and completely soundless. Was this an effect of the Court?
Was the Court giving her so much power that she was turning solid?
"Give me the initiate," she says, staring straight at me.
I call on to my power, letting it course into my palms and extend and solidify into a pair of swords. "Over my dead body."
And she smirks - looking completely wicked yet effortlessly breathtaking. "Okay."
She stops in her tracks, standing unmoving. She says nothing, does nothing but the ground starts to shake again, roaring in warning before a pair of stone golems with the build, dexterity and full-on fukcing horror of the Hulk rise from the ground and stare me down.
"Homaigohd." This was not how I envisioned things would be. "Surely all this effort to kill one newborn isn't worth it?"
Both golems roar, pounding their chests before charging towards us. I plunge my swords into the ground, letting the power flow between the cracks on the stone floor before the power explodes under the golems' feet. It throws them upwards and Susan throws bursts of light towards them, making both golems explode into clouds of dust.
For a quarter of a second, I let myself be dumb enough to think that the threat is over. 
The sand hits the ground, somehow turning molten and a giant serpent made of lava erupts, towering over us in the enclosed space. 
I call on to my power as I feel it encompass both arms. I was going to punch the living daylights out of this thing. Susan finally wills her weapons into existence, the tip of her sword lightly touching the ground.
"Layla." The sole voice slices through the battlefield of noise like a knife. "Halt this at once."
We all freeze, shifting our attention to the Head of Parliament, the one who'd spoken.
"Have we not trained you enough to respect the sanctity of the Aamon's Court?"
There is complete, dead, heavy silence and I slowly feel the tension start to build. I cautiously shift my attention to Layla.
"You have shamed us," he continues. "All those years to raise you - to train you and teach you! - yet this is what you succumb to."
Breathtaking and powerful, Layla is staring at him, her face a blank slate.
She looks terrifying.
She takes a step forward, her eyes turning entirely white.
"Oh no," I whisper to myself.
The lava serpent moves, practically flying in our direction. Susan grabs me and we jump out of the way, hitting the ground on our backs just as a burst of Layla's power literally slams into the Parliament.
The roar of power of the gargantuan monster, Layla, and the Parliament deafens me as Susan drags me to safety.
What's going on? Layla was attacking the Parliament. 
But why? What the Hell was her agenda?
What was she trying to achieve?
I get myself off the floor.
Layla's back is to me and I take the dumb chance.
"Layla, stop!" 
She is suddenly thrown back when the Parliament collectively let out a burst of power towards her. The serpent immediately combusts into nothing and Layla lands on her two feet a distance away.
"Your years of training have been for nought!" I shift my focus to the Parliament again. Incredibly, they're still seated at their table, in the same seating arrangement, totally unfazed by the amount of power Layla had just thrown at them. "Even as a spirit, you still require disciplining."
I blink, shifting my focus between Layla and the Parliament in confusion.
"You have raised me to sacrifice everything for the good of the Aamon's Court. And now I shall do the same."
Her power builds again, spreading against the circumference of the room, roaring in power. 
The temperature shoots up, the winds pick up, and tendrils of power creep up from the ground, each lashing at the Parliament, latching on to limbs and necks.
"No!" I shriek. Granted, I hate the Parliament too, but the effects of their destruction was *not* something I wanted to live to see. "Layla, stop it!"
I shoot bursts of power from my fists straight into her back. She turns around to face me and this time, her expression is livid. 
Tendrils of her power immediately bind me, one wrapping around my neck, another around my elbows. I instinctively reach for the one tightening around my throat.
"Your Highness!"
Layla whips her head around at Susan, and with a motion of her hand, has Susan in binds too. Two tendrils wrap around Susan's neck, before they pull.
Susan's head separates from the rest of her body with a sickening 'squelch' sound and I scream.
"No!" I'm already blinded by tears as the remnants of Susan's form is encompassed in bright white light, before disappearing completely.
I turn my focus to Layla. The power build up in my core is starting to warm me down to my toes.
I'm angry, tired, confused and for the umpteenth time since I've become Aamon, in grief.
"I seek to remind you," she says, voice completely level. "You were never raised like me. You would never understand."
"I don't need to understand someone like you."
My power leaves me in an explosion of light, immediately eating away the tendrils of Layla's power around me and calming the winds in the room. It slams into Layla, throwing her back.
I land against the ground, needing a moment to steady myself.
"I don't need to understand why you did it - why you're so adamant on killing my initiates, or slaughtering innocents or destroying the livelihood of those around me. I don't need to understand any of it!" The power builds in the palms of my hand, itching to be released. "I just need to stop you."
I throw it at her, a blast of power so intense that it nearly hurls me back. It hits Layla straight on, and she is sent flying straight for the Parliament.
She flies right through the space between the sixth and seventh member of Parliament they seemed to intentionally leave unoccupied, and slams into the wall a distance behind them.
I stare at her. 
She doesn't seem to be hurt - but she isn't moving. Why?
Behind her, standing clearly erect is the tower Sobekneferu had been tortured and killed in, and then hung out like some sort of Christmas ornament.
I shift my focus back to Layla. She still isn't moving, but she's staring straight at me.
She was trying to say something.
I take a step back.
Twelve members of Parliament. Layla in the middle, a distance away. The tower a further distance away, its massive cross visible to the n@ked eye even from here.
Thirteen people at the table.
It hits me.
I understand. I finally understand what Layla was getting at.
*Twelve Apostles at the Last Supper with Jesus.*
The betrayal.
The pure intensity of my rage hits me as I direct my power down to my left palm and throw it at the member of Parliament in question. He jumps to the side, my power missing him by a hair's breadth.
The chain is broken. 
The power lands against the wall behind him, resulting in a powering explosion. The other members of Parliament finally get up, practically flying out of the way as both Layla and I run forward at the same time.
*Jesus reveals that one of them will betray him*
Layla reaches him first, grabbing him by the neck as she lifts him up and throws him forward. He is airborne for a few moments before I grab him with my power and slam him against the ground.
*Judas - the one who rises from the table first*
The member of Parliament stares up at me, a mixture of fear, anger and panic on his face. I don't know why it never hit me then. He was the only member of Parliament to move from the table - the only one who'd spoken to me alone.
"Your Highness, please," he whispers. "Have mercy." 
Funny how scared one gets when facing death.
I produce my sword, raising it above my head.
Long ago, back when I was young, dumb and privileged, the thought of killing another disgusted me. I used to believe there was good in everything - and everyone. I used to think one of the worst ways of punishment was to kill. A person killed could not change, could not seek retribution. And who was I to deny them of that?
But I've changed. I'm no longer a hopeless romantic who only sees this world in flowers and glitter.
Evil had to be destroyed.
"Taehyung, no!"
I plunge the sword straight into his chest.
And am met with some sort of barrier that literally throws me back, a power so strong that the entire room is illuminated and my sword shatters.
I land against the ground hard, rolling a distance before I'm able to stop myself. A strong hand grabs me by the forearm, forcing me to stand. I whirl around, seeing Jin standing before me.
"What the fcuk," I seethe. "I told you to stay put!"
"The protection spell got destroyed." I peer over his shoulder, seeing Jungkook standing there holding Malala. "We figured it be too dangerous to stay on a higher floor since the fighting was below."
I shift my focus to Jin again. "You brought *babies* to this fight?"
The sound of an explosion rocks the castle, and I turn around to see Layla and the member of Parliament already in battle.
"Where's the other Angel?" Jin asks.
"Dead," I answer. "Layla got to her."
I don't stop to listen to their shock. I break into a run, intending to join in the fight, when the Other Angel suddenly appears before me, still inside Luna's vessel.
"Your Highness, no."
"Stay out of my way," I warn. "That member of Parliament -"
"You cannot kill Judas."
I gawk. Even his freaking *name* was Judas?!
"He is out to ruin the Court."
"You *cannot* kill him," the Angel stresses. "You are the Aamon and he is your Parliament. He is protected from you by the power."
"What use is my power if I can't stop corruption in my own court then!" I seethe.
"Your Highness, Layla is distracted. Now is the best time to take her back."
"No."
The Angel actually responds with emotion, blinking twice as she stares at me.
"Layla has something up her sleeve. She wouldn't do all that she's done without reason."
"Your Highness -"
Another explosion hits us, the shockwave nearly throwing me back.
"Help me stop Judas," I rush. "If neither Layla nor I can stop him, you can. Then let me speak to Layla. After that, she's all yours."
She considers for two very long seconds, before she nods. Her wings burst out of her back, before she flies, shooting straight at Judas.
Incredibly, Layla and the Angel start working hand in hand. Where the Angel would strike, Layla would prepare for another. Where Layla struck, the Angel continues right after her. They are one single, continuous entity that moves with grace and power.
I guess Judas finally realizes that he's got nothing to lose, because he is fighting back with vengeance.
I turn to the rest of the Parliament. "Don't just stand there!"
"We cannot defeat him."
I groan in frustration. "Then immobilize him!"
None of them move and my groan rises to a shriek. Not like they've ever been of help to me in the first place.
I produce a globe of power in each hand, throwing them at Judas. As if he can tell, Judas whirls around to face me, both globes flying towards him.
And then they bounce back, flying towards me again.
I jump to the side just as they hit the wall behind me, exploding and leaving indents in the wall.
"The power does not work against the Parliament," one of the members of Parliament explains. "Neither do the power of the members of Parliament work against each other."
I shift my gaze to Judas. 
He is standing this time, his hands glowing with power.
Layla moves again, directing a blow at Judas.
He evades it, managing to catch it in one hand before he throws it at her, striking her directly against her chest.
Layla is thrown back, before slamming against the ground. 
The Angel falls from above, her sword at the ready. She strikes him with the weapon and Judas absorbs the blow with one hand before he uses his other to strike her. 
The Angel is pushed back, but recovers quickly. She uses her sword to strike again, her other hand producing a blast of power that hits him.
I stare at their battle. I don't know how this will end.
She may defeat Judas, but then what? Will he die? Will his power live on? Will it break the Aamon's Court?
And what if the Angel is defeated? I don't think Layla can beat Judas. Neither can me and the Parliament. Jin is too weak to fight and Jungkook would definitely lose against him. What happens then? Do we all die too?
Judas falls against the ground, and the Angel is on top of him, sword at the ready. Out of nowhere, Judas produces a spear made of power, which he uses to stab the Angel straight through the chest.
"No!" I yell.
The Angel doesn't even flinch, grabbing hold of the spear and wrenches it out. 
There is a thick burst of blood from the action, as Luna's blood splatters on Judas. I panic, running forward as I use my power to grab on to the Angel and yank her back.
I create a dome around Judas, locking him in as I turn to the Angel who's landed by my feet.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes," she sits up, the bloodstain on her shirt spreading at the act. "I cannot feel pain."
"What about Luna?"
"As long as I remain -"
Judas slams his power against my dome. It is powerful enough to make a stab of pain shoot straight through my brain and I yell, clutching on to my head. I turn to Judas, seeing the dome which amazingly still holds. It won't hold for long though.
By sheer coincidence, I lock gazes with Layla. She has a calculative look on her face.
Was she thinking the same things that I was?
Her gaze shifts slowly to the Parliament and then very purposely, to me.
I get it. I don't know how I get it, but I do.
"Hold him down!" Layla and I had spoken at the exact same time.
I kill the dome, just as Judas throws a burst of power towards Layla, which she easily evades.
The Angel produces two whips in each hand, which she throws forward. They wrap themselves around Judas' left wrist. She pulls, and Judas is nearly thrown off balance, before he digs his heels into the ground.
With his right hand, Judas calls on a burst of power, aiming it at the Angel. Instead, his only free hand becomes bound by tendrils, pulling him in the other direction. Layla pulls at her power, jerking Judas' hand in the other direction. The power flies towards Jin and Jungkook, hitting them head on and hiding them in clouds of dust.
"Jin!" I yell, turning towards them. "Jungkook!"
*We're okay.* The dust is slowly clearing, and I am able to make 0ut an invisible barrier Jin has created around them.
I'll waste time to cry tears of relief later, turning back to the battlefield.
Judas is flexing really hard, the power around his wrists nearly failing. He unexpectedly moves, using his left leg to do some sort of impressive roundhouse kick which winds Layla's binds around his leg.
Layla falls forward, and for a moment, Judas is free.
Fcuk.
I call to my own power, throwing it forward as it wraps around his left leg. I pull, just as Layla gets up. Judas falls on one knee, his only free limb digging into the ground to anchor himself.
"It won't hold!" I yell. Damn, this old dude was strong.
Another set of tendrils suddenly wrap around Judas' legs, latching him to the ground. I turn my head to where they'd come from.
The Parliament. Finally.
Judas roars in anger this time, trying to break free as the whips and tendrils pull his limbs in four different directions. He's immobilized - for now.
Layla and I drop our binds and run forward, becoming incorporeal at the exact same moment before we dive into his body.

The first thing that hits me is pain - an awful, awful pain that rings in my ears and makes me fall to my knees.
"What the Hell," I groan.
"He's fighting us off," Layla says. 
I've heard about this. Entities that are strong enough - and have trained long enough - are able to fight off possession. I've possessed my fair share of people, though none of them have defences as good as this.
"At the same time," Layla commands.
At the same time what??
She produces a blast of power and I quickly follow her lead. It clears whatever smoke that had been blocking our view and spreads like a ripple.
The pain ends right then and there and I straighten.
Now that I can see and think clearly, I finally realize what's before us.
A massive metal wall that stretches up to the skies. It doesn't end no matter how far back I crane my neck up.
"Whoa," I breathe.
Layla comes forward, placing a hand against the wall.
"You think you can break it?" I ask.
"I've never defeated a member of Parliament," she replies, not moving her position.
"You've fought them before?"
"No. I never thought I could."
I stare at her. There's something… off about Layla.
Not 'off' as in suspicious, but 'off' as in… weird. Weird and sad.
"Well, we'll never know if we never try," I say, coming forward and placing my hand next to hers. "Ready?"
Layla glances at me. She pauses, before nodding.
"Let's defeat this son of a biitch," I say, before the both of us blast the wall with our powers.
It creates an explosion of sorts, strong enough to blast a hole that is big enough for both of us to walk through.
Darkness envelopes us on the other side, a thick and choking cloak that encompasses us.
"Judas!" Layla calls. Her voice echoes around the vast emptiness.
Nothing but silence.
"How'd you figure it out?"
Layla turns to me.
"How'd you figure that it was Judas?"
"I always knew," she quietly answers. "Even when I was alive, I knew that bad things would come from him."
"A vision."
"Yes," she confesses. "I brought it to Ezekiel's attention, but he never believed me. He thought I was too loyal to the Parliament. He thought I was just testing him."
"Well, you did end up killing him. For the Parliament."
"Yes," she says again, sighing. "I was a fool."
I fall quiet at that.
"How about you?"
I shift my attention to her, at the question she's directed at me.
"You believed me. Why?"
I shrug. "You were supposed to be the Fifth Aamon. I figured that if you were doing all this… it had to be with reason. I don't think the power would choose wrong."
"The power didn't choose me. It chose you."
"Yeah, but it considered you. I don't know. I just thought… to believe in you."
She stops in her tracks, and I stop too. She stares at me. Much like Jin, her face is a cold, emotionless mask molded from years of traumatic experience and hard practice. "I killed your guards. I attacked you. I destroyed your home. You still chose to believe me."
I stare back at her. What was I supposed to say? "Yeah."
"Don't you hate me?" I don't understand why Layla is having an outburst *now* out of all moments, but if she continues, I'm gonna snap too. "Do you not grieve? Or hold grudges? Is everything in grey to you?"
"Oh, I'm grieving alright," I shoot back. "I'm sad and angry and frightened, but the last thing I'll do is crawl into some hole and let my emotions overcome me. I'm the Aamon and I've got shhit to do. I've seen what blind hate does, and the last thing I want to be is hateful. So I'll walk with you. I'll fight with you and I'll help you. Hell, I'll even hold your hand and sing a folk song as long as I'm able to get my job as Aamon done."
She stares at me for a full, solid three seconds before she shakes her head in disbelief. "You're foolish."
"I may be foolish, but I'm right. And now I'm helping you save the Aamon's Court."
"You don't even know what Judas is planning."
"So tell me."
I bet if Layla's eyes could shoot lasers, there'd by holes in my skull from where my eyes should be.
"You've been receiving visions of the birth of your initiates, yes?"
I nod. "And you've been killing them."
If Layla got the glaring hint, she ignores it. "I received visions of the same back when I was alive. I knew they would not be Ezekiel's."
"So your visions were about… mine?"
She nods. "We do not receive visions of the future which we need not change. I knew something was not right."
I nod. That was true. Why change a good future? All our visions were bad omens.
"But I died before I could investigate further."
"I thought you committed suicide," I point out. That was the official cause of death.
Layla shakes her head. "After I killed Ezekiel, I was locked away. The visions increased - always of the same matter. I confided in Judas - he seemed to be the only sane member of Parliament."
Yeah, well good call on that, I think to myself.
"And he killed me."
I feel my eyes widen. 
"I died in a state of shock, confusion and a lot of anger. My ascension to Heaven was not smooth and hence to come down from it…was not impossible."
"How'd you do it?"
Layla glances at me.
"Heaven was in a lot of turmoil because of the Archangels. When the battle took place, and the Archangels were busy fighting you and the other Aamons, I made my escape and came down to Earth."
"You changed the future."
She gives me a cursory glance.
"So you know about the Orb."
"And you started killing the initiates," I say.
"I was going to do what Ezekiel and Judas refused to - protect the Court."
I stare, unsure whether to believe her.
"How did you change the future?"
"Anyone with access to the Orbs can change the future. The future is never definite."
"So why did you attack Jungkook and kill my guards? They were innocent."
She says nothing, continuing to walk and look straight ahead.
I wasn't going to give up just because she was ignoring me. "Why did you do it?"
"I couldn't risk it," she finally answers, "I knew you would be informed of my descent. I needed to distract you."
I stop completely, deadass just staring at the back of her head as she continues walking.
"So you killed them just to distract me?"
"I've told you. You were never raised like me."
"Is that an excuse?" My voice has gone whisper soft. Did lives really mean so little to her?
"Billions of lives hang in the balance of the Aamon's power. Sacrifices must be made. This is exactly why you wouldn't understand. You were never raised like me."
"The only thing I understand is that you were raised to be a monster."
And she stops in her tracks, slowly turning around to face me.
"How do you pick and choose lives?" I say, "The Aamon is supposed to protect everyone. We don't play God."
"If we didn't play God then the Aamon's power would be taken advantage of. You have enough power to swipe the entire Earth clean with one hand. If that power is not controlled -"
"So what differentiates you from the Parliament then?"
I guess that's the final straw for her, as her hands start to glow and her eyes turn white.
I call on to my own power, engulfing my hands in the flames of Hell.
Oh she wants to go? Let's fcuking go.
Layla throws a burst of power at me as I dodge. It flies over my head, hurtling straight like a bullet. 
I get up, not knowing how our powers would work in this kind of vessel, and form finger guns as I concentrate the power at my pointed finger tips.
I focus on Layla just as she breaks into a run. I trail her with my gaze.
*Bang, bang, bang*
Each blast of power misses, flying straight past her.
I stalk forward just as Layla retaliates, calling forth a whip of power which she throws forward and binds around my wrist.
I pull, attempting to break it as Layla pulls from the other direction to try throw me off balance.
It's just a game of strength at this point as we stare each other down.
Something from behind Layla catches my eye, a hot white light from afar hurtling in our direction.
"What the," I breathe, just as it whizzes past our heads.
The both of us stare at it, before catching each other's eyes. That white ball of power was familiar.
And then there is a keening sound coming from behind me, as if an object is whizzing its way towards us.
I glance over my shoulder and immediately crouch down just as my blasts of power fly over our heads.
"We've been walking in a circle," Layla says as she stands and the whip disappears.
"It's another trap," I point out, agreeing and staring up at the pitch black skies.
Layla follows my gaze. Far, far into the skies, so vague that you'd probably miss it, is one tiny speck of white. It had to be a light source - the end to this endless trail.
"Ready?"
I nod, just as the both of us shoot a blast of power straight at the tiny white dot. It takes time to travel because of the distance, but once it does, there is an ominous 'doom!' sound, almost as if a gong has been struck.
The ground we stand on starts to shake and I steady myself.
"Well, I guess we found the way out."
Layla nods, before together, we send a continuous blast against the tiny speck. Interestingly, Layla has called on to the powers of Hell, while I, of Heaven. Her flames, unlike mine, are a mesmerizing purple, on offset to the standard white that was the colour of Heaven.
It hits the white speck, and the continuous hit makes the ground shake some more.
The darkness is starting to fade into grey, and I push my power harder. This time, there is the sound of something above cracking, and dust starts to actually fall on us.
The final blast makes cracks appear on the darkness, bright white light seeping through until it finally explodes.
I squint my eyes shut at the sudden intrusion, before I open them. I gawk at the sight that greets me.
The darkness is gone, replaced by the light. Falling from the skies, like tiny pieces of confetti, are shards of black - I assume from the darkness we've previously destroyed.
"What the Hell," I breathe, putting my palm out to catch several pieces.
"So, you've succeeded."
Layla and I look up at the same time, our powers geared and ready.
Judas stands there amongst the falling shards, smiling lightly.
"Give it up, Judas," Layla warns. "There's no way you'd win."
"I'm aware." Judas sounds… amused. Almost pleased. It makes me ten times as wary. "I was ready to fight, you know? How well prepared I was to fight the Aamon. I was even prepared to fight you, Layla. But it was well beyond my expectations to fight the both of you. Who would have thought that after all that has happened, you'd work together?"
I'm starting to get the same vibe I got from Layla, and it disarms me. It's right there, staring at me.
The belief of a righteous cause.
"What did you do?" I breathe.
I meet Judas' eyes. I've met so many people with the exact same look. Jin, Adam, Layla… and now Judas.
"I wanted to destroy the Parliament," Judas says. "Layla, you of all people should know what they have done. The corruption, the bribery, the lack of humanity... I saw them kill Sobekneferu. For *saying no*. To a *bribe*."
I straighten, shutting off my power - though Layla doesn't.
"You killed me," she says.
"Because you saw through my plan."
"I trusted you!" It is the second outburst Layla has shown in about 5 minutes, and I honestly fear there will be more.
"I could not trust anyone. You willingly agreed to kill Ezekiel. I thought you would be part of them as well."
"What did you do, Judas?" I ask, lowering my voice to be softer, kinder. Empathy is your best weapon when it comes to obtaining confessions. "Tell us."
"I spread the Aamon's power," Judas revealed. "I scouted for new initiates. I wanted - no, I *needed* to create more initiates to confuse the rest of the Parliament. I had planned an influx of initiates to be born - and hide them away to be raised without the influence of the Parliament. I wanted to *save* the Aamon's Court."
Layla finally straightens, her arms falling to her side as she stares at Judas.
"But I received visions warning me of the same," she says.
"Yes," Judas says. "I had to kill you. I'm sorry."
I'm starting to get confused about where this was going. Judas killed Layla for finding out the plan, Layla kills the influx of initiates because Judas had basically killed her for. And now we're here to kill Judas?
Was this all one freaky huge misunderstanding?
"I killed the initiates," Layla reveals. Her voice is shaking slightly as she stares at Judas. "I came down to Earth to kill them."
"You did not kill all of them," Judas reveals. "I started my plan many years ago. It required a lot of planning and secrecy, thus it was slow. I invested my time and effort into granting only one child the Aamon's power - the first initiate outside the Parliament's control."
"You created an initiate?" That was impossible. Initiates were chosen by the power.
"No, Fifth Aamon. What I did was make the power invisible, below the radar of the Parliament. I thought that should that be a success, I'd work on raising the number of initiates."
"But how?" I ask. "How did you hide something the Parliament is duty bound to know?"
"Stillborns," Judas answers. "Fated to die at birth, they are undetectable to the Aamon's Court. My own power kept them alive for the first few months, and the Aamon's power, once it has made its choice, continues from there."
"So how many initiates were born through this?" I don't know why, but I'm feeling the shivers run down my spine. Judas was playing God in ways I didn't know possible.
"Seven," Judas reveals. "Layla has killed all but two."
"Malala," I say.
"And you."
I stare, not sure I heard right. "What?"
"You were the first initiate born outside the knowledge of the Parliament. A stillborn - destined to die at birth. You survived only because of my power."
"That's impossible. The power chose me when I was two. Th-that was when Lucifer sent his sons to come and… and kill me." I don't know why my voice is wobbling, unsure why my vision is turning hazy.
It can't be true.
"Lucifer knew that the infant - that *you* - weren't under the Parliament's protection. It was the only reason he even found you in the first place."
I don't know what to say. It's like my voice is stuck in my throat or something as I stare at Judas.
"I'm sorry," Judas says. "Nearing the end of the pregnancy, your parents found out you'd be stillborn. I gave you life - kept you alive. The power only chose you once you were strong enough."
That was when Lucifer sent Azazel and Beelzebub to kill me. Because I was born in secret - without protection. He could use it to strengthen control over Hell.
"I had hoped that you'd be different. A different Aamon from the previous initiates, free from the Parliament's control. And when you became Aamon, it was true. You were the best thing to happen to the Court." 
"You knew the power wouldn't choose Layla," I breathe. 
"After she killed Ezekiel… there was no way. Ezekiel called for a favour from the Heavens to turn the power away to someone outside the Aamon's Court."
Me.
"And then when the Parliament finally heard of you, finally saw the Aamon you were becoming, the change you were making, I knew I made the right choice."
"So you produced the influx of initiates," I summarize. Newborns - who were actually meant to be stillborns - which Layla had been killing.
Judas nods. "I wanted to stop the atrocities of the Parliament. But I never would have expected the costs…"
Judas pauses, closing his eyes. A tear rolls down from each cheek. "I didn't know this was the damage that would result."
I look away from him, taking a deep shuddering breath. I can't start crying now. If I do, I won't stop.
The belief of good intentions.
Layla has slaughtered dozens of innocents, destroyed property and endangered the safety of the general public. Judas has basically betrayed the Parliament and made my life the misery that it is now. 
All for change. All for positive change they'd hoped to bring to the world.
I wonder if their belief of good intentions justified it all.
"So what happens now?" I ask, staring between the two of them. It is difficult to not look at Judas and not feel a form of anger. I'd been his guinea pig for change. From the moment he'd realized I'd be stillborn, he'd cursed me. And Layla, the slayer of the guards I'd grown to love, of Hector, who was my protector since as long as I can remember. The one who'd tried to kill the initiates. The one who'd destroyed my home.
And all those visions, the birth of my initiates I'd been seeing the past few weeks. They weren't there as a sign to save them. They were a warning of the causes behind them.
I know I'm supposed to feel something - anything. But what do I feel?
"I will return to the Afterlife," Layla says. "And atone for my sins."
"Layla -" I start.
"I killed many people who did not deserve to be killed. I thought I was protecting the Aamon's Court. I was wrong."
"I will come with you," Judas says. My eyes widen at his statement and Judas takes notice. "Fifth Aamon, my presence will only throw the powers of the Court off balance. The Parliament must think as one. I will inhibit your power."
"I need a rational voice in the Court," I argue. "If you leave -"
"Fifth Aamon, you are already the rational voice in the Aamon's Court. You are everything I had hoped the future Aamon would be. Selfless, empathetic and kind. You do not answer to the Parliament, but rather to your morals."
"What about the powers of the Parliament?" I argue. "You're an important -"
"The power will restructure," Judas says. "I have caused enough trouble for now."
I'm at a loss of words. None of this would have happened if….if….
Who do I blame? Who *can* I blame?
Layla, for sacrificing her life for what she believed was the best interest of the Court? Judas, for only acting in his best capacity for the future Aamon? The Parliament, for trying to keep the Aamon and his powers grounded and stable for the safety of both worlds?
"But what will I do about the Parliament?" I ask. "What if they keep accepting bribes? What if they're still corrupt?"
"The Parliament is not inherently evil, Fifth Aamon," Judas answers, "Most of their decisions are in your best interests. However, you must not be fearful of standing your ground."
"They killed Sobekneferu for doing the same."
"I won't let that happen." Judas holds his right hand out, palm outwards. Slowly, a globe of white light leaves his palm. I stare. What is that supposed to be?
I watch as it travels, coming near me. I curiously hold my hand out, maybe to touch it or prod it, but the globe moves quickly, entering my palm and being absorbed into my skin. 
I gasp, taking a step back as the power courses through me.
"From now on, you shall inherit my position as the fourth member of Parliament. All decisions of the Parliament must be unanimous - once you say no, it's over."
I blink blankly. "The position is *inheritable*?"
"Of course. It is just the current members who refuse to relinquish control."
I frown. Great, another burden on my shoulders.
"Now, I am but a normal human," Judas says. "A powerless soul. Finally, after fifty thousand years."
I look up at him. "I'll see to it that your sacrifices will not be in vain. You *will* enter Heaven. Even if -"
"No." I'm taken aback at the statement. "The ruling Aamon must not be biased. Layla and I did not sacrifice all that we have only for you to become the very embodiment of what we are trying to avoid. The Aamon must be impartial."
"If it's within my capacity, then -"
"The Aamon must. Be. Impartial," Judas repeats. "Today, it will be us. Tomorrow, it will be corruption and bribery. I will not take that chance."
I look away from him, feeling the emotions rise up to my throat. It wasn't fair. 
"You must kill me, Fifth Aamon."
I whip my head to face him. There are already tears streaming down my face. "No."
"It is the *only* way. A member of Parliament will not die unless killed. The killing of the member of Parliament will be the largest symbol of your power - and your new position amongst the Parliament. If you let me live -"
"I don't give a fcuk about symbols!" I know that I'm screaming, know that I'm becoming too emotional again. It has always been my weakness.
"If you let me live," Judas repeats, voice much softer and kinder. I guess he was using my tactic against me, "my soul will be trapped within these walls for eternity. A traitor of the Court must be punished with death. Either way, I will still -"
"You are not a traitor," I weakly argue.
"I am the *textbook* definition of a traitor. Even Hell would be better than an eternity of nothingness. Do me this one favour - even though I don't deserve it. Kill me, and let me move on."
I finally let the sob break through my lips.
Why? Why did it have to be like this?
"I'm sorry," Judas says, before he encompasses himself in light.
"No!" Layla and I scream at the same time.

Both Layla and I land hard against the ground. It takes me a moment to process what just happened before I look up.
Judas is above me, hanging with his feet maybe three feet off the ground. He is held up by the whips and tendrils stretching his arms horizontally, with binds so tight that from one wrist to the other, his arms are just one straight line.
He looks like he's being crucified.
Just like Sobekneferu.
I'm yelling before I'm even standing on my own two feet.
"Get him down!" I turn to both Susan and the Parliament. "Let him go!"
The binds disappear, and Judas falls to the floor. Layla and I run to him, turning him over to his front.
He is bleeding from his temple from where he'd landed. I guess he really was human now.
He is weak, barely breathing and ice cold to the touch.
"I can save him," I find myself mumbling to myself as I pat him down to evaluate his injuries. "I can save him, I can save him."
I place two fingers below his left ear. I can feel a pulse. It's weak, but it's there.
"I can save him."
Someone catches my wrist, and I look up to Layla. Her expression is pained as she squeezes my hand.
I freeze at the look in hey eyes, understanding the implication and feeling my own heart stop. "I can't. I can't do it." I'm shaking so, so hard.
"Yes, you can," she whispers.
She takes my hand, brings it to Judas' chest. A dagger materializes in my hand and I panic.
"Don't!" I say, realizing by voice is whisper soft from shock and fear. I attempt to take my hand away but Layla's hold is stronger.
"Judas feared nothingness. If he survives, it will be all he has for eternity."
Layla lets go of my hand. I'm left holding the dagger on my own.
"Layla, I -"
"Yes, you can," she says again. "Judas believed in you. I believe in you. You are the Aamon we will fight and die for."
I take a deep shuddering breath, holding the dagger in both hands.
"Let him end his suffering."
I raise the dagger above my head. "By the power vested in me as the Aamon and a member of Parliament," I hear the whispers. The Aamon cannot kill a member of Parliament. What is he doing? "I relinquish you of your position."
I plunge the dagger into his chest, hear the sickening squelch that was flesh being pierced through. I feel the dagger break his ribs and go straight into his heart.
Judas' body immediately stiffens, a bright, white light exuding from his form. I look away, still holding on to the dagger as I push it in deeper.
His heart still beats. I can feel it beneath my fingers as it fights to survive. The heartbeat picks up, refusing to give in to death.
Let go, I pray. Have mercy.
And then beating stops. Just like that.
The white light disappears and Judas' body is within sight. He's stopped breathing. A human has to breathe to survive, right?
I stare at his body as the dagger disappears.
"It's done," I hear Layla whisper. I look up at her. Tears trickle down her face, but she is ferociously calm. "It's over."
And then she is violently thrown to the side when binds wrap around her body, immobilizing her. She yells, struggling momentarily before going still.
I stand, alarmed and in panic. Were we under attack again? Who else did I need to fight?
Susan comes forward, in her previous form. A spear the height of her shoulder is at her side and she is encased in her battle armour.
I know what's coming.
"Susan, no!" I yell. "Stop it!"
Susan doesn't stop, and I throw a burst of power at her. It bounces off the armour.
Susan comes and stands before Layla, grabbing her by the back of her collar.
"No!" I yell again. "By Order of the Fifth Aamon, I command you to -"
"It's alright."
I freeze, shifting my focus to Layla.
Her expression is no longer stone cold. Her eyes are softer - her gaze almost kinder.
"She's going to -"
"It's alright," she repeats.
I stare at her, unsure what to do.
"If you go -" I start.
"You will still be Aamon," Layla says. "So continue."
"Layla Caesar," Susan says, interrupting the both of us. "By order of the Kingdom of Heaven, you are to return to the Afterlife as a rightful spirit. The deeds you have done on this Earth will be measured accordingly. May God have mercy on your soul."
And then they are gone. Just like that.
I fall to my knees.
I don't know what to do.
There is dead silence for a few moments, before footsteps come forward.
"What have you done."
Someone grabs me by the shoulder, literally whirling me around as I stare up at the Head of Parliament. "What have you done!" he roars.
I attempt to scamper back, but my back rests against Judas' body. It's a jarring wake up call.
"I did what I had to do," I answer.
"You have destroyed the Aamon's Court!"
"No," I breathe. "We saved it."
The Head of Parliament raises his hand. 
Ho, shhit. Was he actually going to slap me? He had humongously huge hands.
Jin suddenly appears before me, catching the hand that intends to do me harm, before he pushes back.
"Lay one hand on the Aamon and I shall bring forth the demons of Hell upon you," he growls.
"He has killed a member of Parliament. He is no longer fit to be Aamon!"
"The power decides whether he is fit. As you can are, his Power works just fine. Taehyung continues his reign."
"What is an Aamon without a functioning Parliament?" The Head warns.
I gingerly move to stand - gingerly because I didn't want the Parliament to think that I was on a murderous rampage and kill me.
"The Parliament still functions," I say. Jin moves out of the way so I can stare at the Head of Parliament. Man, was the dude tall. "Judas relinquished his position before his death. Until I can find a suitable replacement, *I* am the fourth member of Parliament."
A vein throbs at the Head's temple. Was he going to have a ?
He takes a step forward, leering at me. "Your greed for power will destroy the Aamon's Court."
"No," I rebut. "My morals will save it."
The Head takes one long look at me, before he turns and walks away. I stare as he rejoins the rest of the Parliament, and together, they just fade away.
I stare at the empty space, not knowing what to feel. My knees suddenly give way and I land against the ground again. Jin is immediately by my side, a hand against my arm in quiet comfort. I ignore him, turning around to face Judas' body again. 
His face is serene and calm. Almost like he's finally resting. I place a hand against his chest. It's still wet from all the blood that had left his body from the stab wound.
I don't know what to do - or what to feel.
"She's turning blue." I look up to Jungkook, who had spoken. He is staring at Malala, gently cradled in his arms. His voice is rising in panic. "She can't breathe!"
I stretch out my arm towards him and he immediately runs to me, falling to his knees by my side as he shows me the young initiate.
He was right. Malala's lips were turning purple, and her skin is turning an unnatural shade of blue. She is gasping for breath, her eyes closed as she reaches out for something.
"Where's her mother?" I ask. "Where's Luna?"
Jungkook looks up at me this time. There is hesitance in his eyes.
"She's gone," Jin says, a soft, kind voice coming from behind me. "The Angel couldn't save her. The battle was too much for her body."
My heart drops. Another one. Another death.
I hold out my arms towards Malala, and Jungkook gets the signal. He carefully passes the infant to me.
I realize quickly that this as the scene I'd seen in my vision. This was the baby, and this is the exact same circumstance. 
So that was the warning.
Deep down, I'm not surprised. I'd almost expected this to happen. Malala was meant to be a stillborn. She was only alive because of Judas' power. And now that Judas is gone…. Nothing was keeping her alive.
I hold her to my chest as I watch her struggle.
Malala is trying so hard to breathe, to be alive. She was such a fighter. Just like her name.
I cry.
I finally lose it as I break into a sob, my tears falling down upon the innocent baby's face. 
I've lost so much, and so many people had to suffer because of me. I don't know if I can do this.
I cradle Malala as her arms flail about, lightly hitting me.
Let go, I find myself praying again. Have mercy.
Malala finally stops moving. I am screaming amidst my tears now as I feel Jin rest his arm around my back, pulling me close in comfort.
She was just a baby.
She was just an innocent lucky enough to be born, who had a mother who loved her. And now both she and her mom are dead.
Because of me.
Jungkook cries too, quiet little hiccuping sobs that wreck his body. He comes to me, wrapping his arms around my neck.
I am the Fifth Aamon, reluctant Guardian of the Forty Legions of Heaven and Hell, Seer of the Past and Future, Protector of All Souls and member of Parliament of the Aamon's Court. The sacrifices I must make are necessary for the stability and safety of this life and the hereafter. The pain I go through is for the peace and harmony of all beings, dead or alive. The tears I cry are so that no other being may cry the same tears.
The people that believe in me, that have died for me, that have given up so much for me, I must not disappoint. I will become the selfless, empathetic and kind Aamon leading the way for change. I will be a person who holds on to my morals and upholds good character. I will not let their sacrifices be in vain.
I am the Fifth Aamon and no matter what shhit I have to go through, I'll still get my job done. I will still continue my rule.
That is my promise.

===

I finished this chapter about a month ago but had to redo it quite a few times because I accidentally made a huge fcuking plothole somewhere in the middle! 

Anyways, happy new year! May this year snatch ALL our wigs