The Riddle Of Magic

Chapter 72 - Revocation

Charlie Morningstar might have come to the palace as Princess of Hell, but that wasn't how she left it. In the end, as they departed the palace, she had effectively established a Dominion over the throne, making it hers - theirs, she had insisted.

"As you like, dearest," Alastor told her, his arm about her waist. The chair didn't really interest him. Ruling didn't really matter to him, though he knew it was going to inevitably become a duty he was bound in, particularly now that he'd assumed command of the veiled spectres.

Not to mention that the blonde demoness at his side was meant to be Queen, and now with her having ostensibly taken the throne - metaphorically, she would argue, literally, he would argue - that day where they would rule seemed to be coming a lot sooner than either of them would have imagined yesterday. His partner was nervous despite everything, walking stiffly at the Radio Demon's side as if she expected some kind of ambush as they departed the palace. "I can still barely believe he's just letting us leave," Charlie murmured, clutching at his arm. "Just letting me go to tear down the barriers between the rings."

Had their victory come too easily? He was hardly one to make that argument, considering it all felt like a series of narrow scrapes one right after the other, where a single different decision might have brought disaster. "I think he's resigned to the course of your decision. You have fulfilled the terms of his challenge to you, to show the full extent of your Authority, and so you have - albeit not in the way he would have expected."

Her head fell to his shoulder as she sighed, and he paused a moment as they reached the edge of the palace grounds.

Had he made the right choices? Well, his darling demon belle was still at his side, and he still had some limited use of his magic - at least until he and the spectre had recovered. His grimoire might be troublesome to resummon, it was already a heavy effort moving it last time, but he wouldn't tax his magic any further until his shadow was back in good condition.

From the end of their conversation, it did seem Lucifer would hold to watching over the Throne while they worked with the Sins to incorporate the sinner demons into their domains, and he wondered yet if there was some kind of plot that they were stumbling into. The seraph had insisted on some kind of design for the kingdom - had even threatened both of their lives should the princess not hold to that vision. But now he was, albeit begrudgingly, letting Charlie pursue her own designs for their world.

Were they still working toward the King's goals?

He was too exhausted to be able to put much ponderance to that, though. The whole incident with Laurence and then with Charlotte had completely ravaged his self-esteem, and he would love nothing more than to sleep for the next week.

"Look," Charlie pointed up to the sky. "The Exorcists are leaving!"

"Good riddance," the deer demon sighed. "Though the moon has seen better days."

Three jagged prongs were sticking out of it, bowing down toward the landscape below.

"Teeth," the blonde demoness whispered, a quiet horror in her soft voice as her own eyes drifted upwards.

He held her close as they watched the sky; and as the movement there ceased, the pale orb hovering there became hazy, until it appeared round once more.

"It changed back?" Charlie wondered aloud.

Alastor blinked, studying the moon, which now shone as it once had, tranquil and plain. "What dreams may come," he muttered.

"Is it really back to normal now?" his partner muttered, wiping at her eyes. "Was it because Charlotte was here?"

"Hard to say," the Radio Demon replied. "We know the truth now - what it is, what it always has been."