Heaven, Hell, and Earth

Chapter 71

Solomon took a deep breath, his hands pressed firmly against the desk as he gazed out the window, the weight of his thoughts pressing heavily upon him. He had just managed to calm Alastor down and usher him back to his room, but the chaos left in the wake of that confrontation hung in the air like a foreboding omen.

"A child, always behaving like a child. He'll never change." He muttered to himself, shaking his head in frustration.

Just then, a familiar chill ran down his spine, accompanied by a soft, hissing sound. He turned around to see the silhouette of a large serpent slithering into the room.

"Why are you here, Dominik?" Solomon demanded, arms crossed tightly over his chest. "If you've come to gloat about Alastor losing control, I don't have the patience for it."

Pentious slithered into the light, his expression inscrutable.

"I'm not here to rub anything in your face, Solomon. I came to find out how Fizzarolli is faring."

"I can't confirm or deny his condition. His injuries are severe, and his mental state... that's far more complicated."

"That's tragic." Pentious replied, his tone devoid of sympathy. "But perhaps it's best if he dies."

"Appalling!" Solomon shot back, incredulity etched on his face. "How can you even say that?"

"There's no point in living in a world overflowing with hate and evil. Shakespeare said it best: 'Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.'"

Anger surged within Solomon, but he fought to maintain his composure.

"You only believe that because you've forgotten how wonderful life can be. How happy you once were—with me and Magdalene."

"The dreams of childhood and innocent youth have died with age. Nothing more."

"No, Dominik, I refuse to believe that! I know you don't mean that!"

"Then you don't know me at all! Childhood is the only purity there is; once a child becomes an adult, they are tainted and corrupted. There's no hope for true goodness."

"Did you think Magdalene was like that? Or me?"

Pentious sighed, taking a moment to ponder Solomon's accusation.

"No. You two weren't like that. But despite your goodness and faith, the people you defended and the God you served did not protect either of you from being violated by Beelzebub." He replied, his voice steady as if stating an undeniable fact. "You and she devoted your lives to the Lord, yet He did nothing when that demon used and abused you both."

"Both? What do you mean 'used and abused us both'?" Solomon asked, confusion knitting his brow. "Beelzebub only raped Magdalene that night. He just knocked me out so he could get in."

Pentious paused, looking at Solomon as if witnessing a tragic misunderstanding. Surely, he thought, Solomon would have pieced it together by now, especially after the blood test he knew about through his spies. But the man remained in the dark.

"You still haven't figured it out, have you?"

"Figured out what?" Solomon asked, bewildered. "What are you talking about?"

For a moment, Pentious looked genuinely pained, as if reluctant to reveal this terrible truth. But there was no turning back now.

"Solomon, did you ever wonder how it was possible for Beelzebub, a pure-blooded demon, to enter the church that night? No demon can breach a holy place without a human vessel."