How'd That Happen?

Chapter 9

"I still can't believe she tried to fucking hit you. That has to be against the rules. Right, Cedric?" Lilith turns her attention to him.

"Well, yes, but she didn't touch her."

"Damn, lucky too. I would have chopped her hand clean off with no sweat."

"Lilith." Lani jumps in with an endearing tone. She plants her hand gently in the center of Lilith's palm and gives a soft smile. "I'm okay; I was able to defend myself."

As much as Lilith didn't want to, her heart melted at the sound of her sweet angel's voice. "I'm just glad you were able to defend yourself." They have all been flying for hours. Miles and miles away from their base. Akita can't help but admire the beautiful mountains below them. As much as they go down to earth to reap and collect souls, when the time comes for humans, they never get assigned animal souls to reap and, therefore, never get to see the natural part of the earth. Cedric's hand glides just a little closer to them.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" He says that and signs for Akita.

"Yeah, it is." They sign back with a bright smile. The terrain is absolutely stunning! How I wish I could get closer to them someday.

"Maybe when this is all over, I could see if you'd be able to reap animal soals." Cedric signs. Their faces light up with hope.

You would do that? The twinkle in Akita's eyes grows brighter, and Cedric can't help but smile and blush.

"Yeah! Anything for you."

Further ahead, by just a few feet, Lani can't help but turn her head toward the two, then back to Lilith. "Are they not just adorable?" Her pitch goes to a high pitch.

"Heh, yeah. Think they could become a thing?" Lilith asks, cocking an eyebrow.

"Oh absolutely!" They are so perfect for each other. Cedric understands Akita so well, and Akita seems to know how to calm him down when he gets overstimulated and goes nonverbal."

"Kinda like they were made for each other," Maria jumps into the conversation.

"Yeah..sure." Lani replies but quickly ends her acknowledgment of Maria's presence. She frowns in response but continues to push the conversation.

"The mountains are beautiful, don't you think?" Maria pushes conversation.

"Yep," Lani dismisses once again.

"Gee, I wonder if this is where I lived when I was alive. It feels oddly familiar."

"Does it really? Or are you lying about that too?" She glares at Maria.

"I..." she second-guesses herself; she really isn't sure now. In her own head, she really has no idea if it looks familiar. Was she just saying that to start a conversation? Before she could give a solid answer, Lani and Lilith had already shifted away from her, making her feel a pain in her chest. Soon, Nero was flying by her side.

"I think I've fucked up one too many times."

"Yeah. Probably." They say it bluntly. She turns to look at them. Her face was in shock.

"I think this is when you say, Oh, it's not too late." She replies sarcastically, using air quotes.

"Nope. I'll give it to you straight. Look, you're an angel, and oddly, I respect you. You honestly saved my life," they turn their gazes for a moment and chuckle before meeting her emerald eyes again, "but what you keep doing is breaking her trust. And that's not going to get you anywhere."

"But what am I supposed to do? I mean, I know I have to follow through with my promises. But as stupid as it is, I don't even know why I lie in the first place."

"Than start there. Try to figure it out. The most you can do is fix it along the way and apologize, but you can't expect her to automatically forgive you."

"How long could it take?"

They shrug and say, "It could take weeks, months, or years. It all depends on how much this happens and how much it hurts her."

"I can't wait that long!" She exclaims with an angry flap in her wings.

"Then I don't know what to tell you." Nero crosses their arms and flips over, flying upside down.

She grouches in response. "I just want to go back to the way things were when we were happy and had no worries!" If only there was a way for Maria to show Lani just how badly she wanted to be better in a shorter amount of time.

"There it is! Just up ahead!" Lilith points to what seems to be the tallest mountain in Greece. Mount Olympus. "Keep an eye out for warrior angels. We never know if the enemy has gotten here first." They all approached the mountain cautiously. Turning their heads carefully to have a complete view of their surroundings. Lani's feet are the very first to touch the ground. Lilith and everyone else follow.

"So..uhh..how exactly do we find Demeter? Or any of the gods, for that matter?" They all kind of looked at each other puzzled, not completely sure of the answer to that question.

"We could pray for their appearance." Akita signs hesitantly.

"I'm not entirely sure if that works in the Greek religion." Lani replies. They all stared at each other doubtfully before turning their gazes to Lilith.

"What? Do you guys think I have all the answers? We really flew all the way here without a damn plan."

"Yeah? Shouldn't you have known it? Are you not supposed to be the queen of demons? The most powerful queen in all of hell?" Maria asks rhetorically, which gets her only an eye roll from Lilith.

She's never been a big fan of the title "Queen of Demons." "I guess the only thing to do is to split up and search the ground and see what we find." They all give her one more look before nodding their heads, having an idea of who is partnering up with whom.

The three groups all split in two directions. Lani and Lilith are covering the right side of the mountain, Maria and Nero are covering the left, and finally Cedric and Akita are hiking towards the top. "You think we will be able to find her?" Akita signs to Cedric, asking him about the goddess.

"We better, or else who do you think has to hear Monica's bitching when we get back?" Cedric replies jokingly, both of them knowing damn well it's going to be them two. Akita giggles, which gives Cedric a smile.

"Monica takes a liking to you; I think I'm the one who will get the worst of it." Akita replies with their own humor.

"Nah, she would just be lost without my intellect." He flicks his head.

"Wouldn't we all?"

"Nah, not you. You're agile and smart; you hide well, and you know how to aim with weapons. I think you'd do fine on your own."

"O-oh, you really think so?" Akita blushes at his kind words, unsure how to take all the compliments.

"Yeah! What, you don't?"

"Well, you know. I'm always underestimated because of my disability. People always thought that I couldn't understand the normal when I couldn't hear it. Even when I was alive, no one really tried to get to know me. They wouldn't talk to me because they didn't think I could understand them just because I couldn't hear them. That means I am apparently not aware of my surroundings and could never function normally. At least, that's what everyone thought." Akita felt Cedric put his hands on their shoulders before pulling away to sign. Turning their faces a deep shade of red.

"While I could never understand how people treated you when you were alive, I need you to understand that I and everyone else here know you are just as capable as all of us. If not more capable of functioning "normally," as people call it, it just means your other senses are even greater because you can rely on them that much more! If anyone ever tells you otherwise, I know you can handle them yourself. But if you ever need extra help, just know I'm always right here in your corner, whenever you need me." A single tear drops from Akita's eye and down his cheek, just before pulling Cedric into a deep hug.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. You don't realize how much your words mean to me." Cedric Blushes.

"Just being a good friend. You deserve it more than anyone."

"Right! Good friends." They smile. Gazing deep into the others eyes. The wind breathes through their hair. That's when Akita smells it. The faint smell of wheat came just to their right. "Do you smell that?" Akita signs quickly. Cedric sniffs the air but doesn't seem to come to a conclusion.

"No? Do you?" He asks, signing.

"Yeah!" A faint scent of wheat goods fills the air; it's easy to miss, but it's there, and Akita can smell it clearly. "Follow me!" Akita starts jogging in the direction of the scent. They go faster as it gets stronger before eventually getting lifted into the air by Cedric.

"I can't keep up with you from the ground!" He states this with a wink.

They keep flying until they both see a golden field. "Over there!" Akita signs and points. By this point, they are almost to the very top of the mountain before Cedric puts them down. Just a few feet ahead of them is an uphill field of gold. Cedric pauses for a moment, contemplating what he sees. "But that makes no sense. Weat isn't supposed to be able to grow here, from what I know. Unless?" They scout around for a moment, looking for any sign—a sign that she's here. Akita bends on one knee to touch the grass. Feel its life force. Just then, a small movement shivers from the corner of their eye. A slight ruffle from a tree, enclosed in a circle of poppy flowers. They carefully walk over there. I am not entirely sure if their theory is correct. Cedric spots this but doesn't move from his spot. Not until Akita gently places their palm on the trunk of the tree. There's a small rumble in the ground, and the wind blows harder. Leaves fly everywhere. By the time Cedric gets to Akita, the wind calms. What stands before them seems to be a beautiful, mature-looking woman with hair as gold as the wet and a veil that covers her face.

In aw, they both drop to the ground as quick as they can. Bowing to the stunning goddess out of respect.

"Hey! Are you alright? We heard a rumble in the ground, and the wind started blowing!" Lani called out from the sky. As she and the others got closer, they realized Cedric and Akita were not alone. But it isn't until they reach the ground that they see who is with them. "Oh!" Lani bows as the others follow her actions.

"Greetings. To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting the queen of demons and her comrade?"

"Wait? You know who I am?" Lilith raises her head in confusion.

"Of course I do, my dear. There are stories all through the universe. Both in the mortal and the afterlife. Please rise. All of you." They all rise to meet what they think is the veild goddess gaze.

"Goddess Demeter, we come on behalf of hell to ask for your aid in battle." Lani speaks. There is a light pause before the goddess replies.

"I will not enter myself into a war that has such an uncertain outcome."

"Please! You have resources that would be very beneficial to us. It could give us a chance."

"A chance at what exactly? There is a chance for chaos to enter the world without a divine order for its followers. The Lord of that religion has clearly made its choice."

"But it hasn't!" Maria steps up. "Lani and I both come from the inside of heaven. Ever since leaving, we have learned the divine judgment has been unjust."

Everyone is silent. Slowly, Demeter lifts her veil and pulls behind her silky blond hair. Her stunning facial structure takes no one by surprise, but at the same time, none of them can get enough of looking at her divinity.

"Don't you understand?" Maria continues, "We believe our God has been wrongfully hurting sinners! The rules have changed based on their personal judgment of people. We have no recollection of our living lives once we pass through the golden gates and therefore don't know any better until we get out."

"And you reapers." She turns to Akita. "You can't explain to them what their choices are and guide them to the place of their choosing."

"Not in our system." They sign, "The only thing I can do is collect and keep track of the soal and bring it back to the archives. But once I need to let them go, they go by the judgment system that they believed in when they were alive. If they truly think heaven and hell exist, then the divine judgment of the religion they believe in will be the one to send them to their rightful place." Akita finishes signing, and Demeter nods in understanding.

"But that's the problem." Lani jumps in. "We don't know how it happened or why, but their system is absolutely messed up, and people who don't deserve it are now in pain for their lives because they didn't align with the same beliefs that they were "supposed to." She puts those last words in air quotes.

They all fall silent until Demeter speaks again. "And how do you believe I am supposed to help you with that?"

To this, Nero replies, "We aren't asking you to help us fight. But we think your crops could give your comrade better strength."

Demeter stares all of them down. "You all realize I would indirectly be fighting against my uncle if I were to fight with you, right?"

"Pardon?" Lani asks in confusion.

"Zues has made it very clear to the Olympians that he has allied with heaven in this war, and he has no plans of backing out."

"But what does Zues have to gain from this?" Lilith asks the goddess.

"He has done many stupid things in his existence, and for many reasons people don't understand. This may or may not be one of them. Let me ask you, What do I have to gain from this?"

They all look at each other slightly puzzled. What does she have to gain? They all really thought they could walk up here and ask for food without giving anything in return. To one of the Greek goddesses at that?

"We don't have a definitive answer for that." Lani lowers her head in shame. Everyone stays silent. Just when they think all hope is lost, Demeter smiles with just the edges of her lips.

"Very well. I will help you. And I do not want anything in return." All their faces light up. "You three have convinced me you are fighting for a good cause. Esspessally, you young lady," she points at Maria, which makes her cheeks turb just a little pink. "You have proven where your hearts are and want nothing more than equality and fair judgment across this world. That goal aligns with my morals. As for payment, I do not ask for anything in return. It is also in my morals to give to the people and aid them in times of need. You have expressed that you do, in fact, need it. The wind slowly started to blow again. The leaves rose and wined around the goddess. After a moment, they dispersed and fell gracefully to the ground, and she was gone.

They all stand there for a moment, stunned. "Alright! Well, that's that! Now what?" Nero says it theatrically.

"Not quite. There are some things we need to go over; there is lots of information we need to run down."

"Cedric is right," Lani adds. We got a lot of information that could have been detrimental if we didn't know."

"For starters, Zeus is on heaven's side. That's a huge problem. As dickish as he is, he would have really been helpful. Now heaven really has the advantage." Lilith's state is obviously.

"But not all hope is lost! We haven't gone to the Athena temple yet." Lani adds.

"That's true." Lilith replies.

"If Zues is on heaven's side, it's a good idea to go on defense." Cedric says, stepping up.

"What more defense can we do at this point?" Maria asks, puzzled. Everyone stands there awardingly until Akita signs.

"Hades!" Everyone turns to Akita, confused. "Hades has his own realm for his own followers. I'm not entirely sure how to access it since it can't be accessed by the outside world. But if we can look for him, like we did with Demeter, he might let us use his realm as an emergency safety base. That's really the best we can do right now."

"That might take too much time. We don't know when the angels will strike again, and our scouts have only found a few of their bases." Nero adds. They all know it's a risky idea, but what else could they do with what they've got?

"Nero is right," Cedric says. "On top of that, we don't have anything to offer him in return for the help. We got lucky with Demeter because she was a giving goddess."

Maria steps up and asks, "Is Hades not a giving god? Nero showed me some writings, and it seems like Hades is decently giving, besides what happened with his wife.

"He's a fair god, not a giving one. There is a difference."

"But if we should, at least try. If we do this quickly, we can go to both Hades and Athena; with both of them, we should have more than a good chance at winning."

"We get that there aren't a lot of reasons to change plans and go. But for the few reasons that there are, I'd say it's worth a shot." Lilith adds

"I'm with Akita on this. We have to at least try." Lani says. Cedric and Nero look at each other, then at the group, and then back at each other.

"Come on, Nero. This is all about helping the people who need it. We promised we'd do it; we can't back out of that." Lilith says, giving a small but subtle glance to Maria. Nero sighs and eventually gives in.

"Cedric. As bad of an idea as this might be. We might have to give this a chance." Nero turns to them.

"Fuck.." Cedric mutters. "Alright then. I guess we're tracking down the god of the underworld." Everyone cheers with happiness, ready for the new plans. As a large battle is slowly approaching them. And they all know it's a gamble for the winning side and are ready to take the risks that come with that.

....

They are down from Mount Olympus and are currently on foot on their way to find the god of the underworld. The sun slowly sets, and the sky is a beautiful shade of pink. "So, how do you think we should start searching for him?" Nero asks them.

"Hmmm..we could draw blood from our plans and chant his name?" Maria says she is half-joking, but not entirely.

"Are you stupid? We're trying to find Hades, not summon Satan." Lani barks harshly. Maria turns her head to the ground in response. Not wanting to react or come back with words. Knowing she deserves it.

Lilith puts a hand on Lani's shoulder as they walk, trying to subtly calm her down. No one speaks for a moment until Akita yawns. Those little, innocent yawns send small butterflies through Cedrica's stomach.

"Guys, it's getting late. We're going to have to set up camp."

"But we haven't made any progress on trying to find him! We have to keep going."

"Lilith is right," Akita signs. "We can handle it." They all stopped for a moment. Akita is slowly losing their balance, not being able to properly lip read as their eyes start shutting. Cedric frowns, slowly holding Akita in balance by their shoulders.

"This isn't a safe place to fall asleep," Maria replies. It's pretty much an open field; angels could be anywhere."

Both Lani and Nero also yawn, trying to listen to what Cedric is saying.

Maria thinks for a moment before speaking. "I can stay up and watch for angels." They all turn to her. Lani and Lilith are obviously not so convinced.

"We can take shifts." Nero adds to make it more reasonable. I'm trying not to give you another yawn.

Cedric drops his bag. "Than it's settled. Let's set up camp." Akita tries to resist but is clearly exhausted.

Everyone helps to set up some easy-to-put tents and sleeping bags for everyone. Cedric and Lilith work together to get a fire started as the temperature is dropping. By this time, the sun has almost completely set and the sky is a beautiful, deep, bright orange. Lani is just about to pass out, while Akita is fast asleep.

"Everyone set up?" Lilith asks the group.

"Yeah," Lani says with one more yawn.

"Don't worry, I'll let everyone know if there's trouble." Maria states with a smile.

"Will you, though?" Lani flares, then walks away before she can reply. Standing there, Maria just simply frowns with guilt and turns her back to the tent Lani went into.

"What's up with them?" Cedric asks, confused.