A Dance Of Gods ✓

39. Well that was unexpected

Taylor

  I freeze, not hearing a word that comes out of his mouth. How could he say something like that? Everything's gonna be different now.

  The room suddenly feels tiny, so tiny that I have to get out of it. So I do. I run past the crowd and out the open doorway, somehow finding my way to a balcony. Below, souls are gathered, looking up and still trying to understand what's happened. The looks on their faces remind me of someone- a few someone's actually. In their eyes, I see human confusion; the same type that filled mine for almost two weeks. Then, close to the base of the castle- I see them.

Rhea and her parents in a teary reunion. I'd go to them and hug her too, but I don't want to interrupt their moment. I know my biological father's in hell, so I call on my mother and siblings instead. Images flash through my head of me picking them, picking what they would go through, and choosing most of what happened in my human life to teach myself lessons. I close my eyes- but I see myself choosing everything from how I found out "what I was"- which led me to find out who I really am- to the order I received my initial gifts in.

Lucifer's request is the only thing that's caught me truly off guard.

  I hug my human mother so tight, so hard that I'd be crushing my siblings between us if it were possible for human souls.

  Only it is possible... because I'm fucking god now....

I'm definitely gonna be busy for the next few centuries, fixing everything my predecessor broke.

"Princess-" Lucifer says from a few feet away. "Please just.... hear me out."

I gesture for my mother to leave us, knowing we have forever.

"I am not killing you-"

"You are the only one capable of doing it!" Lucifer yells, then forces himself to lower his voice. "God, I love you and I do not want to leave you but I've been in pain for six thousand years. I'm ready."

"Lucifer I... I love you too-" He presses his lips to mine for half a second, then wears an apologetic look.

"But.... I never did... get over Jesus's death. My father wouldn't have allowed this even if I'd asked, so... that's why I'm requesting this of you."

"Luci......"

"You claim you want to change things and be the goddess of free will. I want to die. Please."

Silent sobs wrack my body- tears would be streaming down my face if that were possible.

  How could he put this on me- and why didn't I see it coming? Another lesson I decided to give myself, maybe?

Do I really want to start this whole "being god" thing off by disregarding free will though? Because despite every part of my brain screaming at me not to do it, he has asked it of me. And I know, deep down- I have to respect that.

I nod, pull him closer, and keep him there for almost two hours. When he kisses me again, a goodbye lingers on his lips.

He steps back, lowering his gaze. Before I lose the nerve- I do it.

With a flick of a finger, he too explodes- and a light slightly duller than the one that came from my predecessor spreads through heaven.

I close my eyes.

As a child I loved the heroes. Now, I miss the villain.