The War Without Fate

Chapter 25- Farting Demons

As we entered this new circle she awoke in my arms with a start. Her arms flailed and when she found me she clutched to me. She burried her face in my chest and started shaking silently in sorrow. I held her close to me as she cried and the group came to a stop, paying no attention to our surroundings as she wept in my arms. I glanced around at our surroundings and found that we were at a windy cliff and that a great heap was curled up in the distance. Raising and falling as it breathed in and out. 

I knelt down and set her down on the ground where she still clutched to me helplessly with a great heaving sigh she lifted her face and looked around at us all. I held her upright in my arms as she stared around at the party.

"What happened?" She asked hoarsely, her hand went up and grasped at her throat. 

"Hello, Evangeline," Holly smiled and sat down, motioning to everyone else to also sit. The harpies stood with that same look etched on their hidious faces. I smiled down at Evangeline, loving to rest my eyes upon her face finally. 

"Evangeline," Holly began "We came down through each level of hell to retrieve you. You see you died and were sent here. In response this group came and seeked me out to guide them through so that they might find you."

"It was Tony who drove the train," Claude smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners and a tear trickling down. I noticed that Castor was in tears as well and seemed to have been for quite awhile.

Evangeline looked up at me and although her face was horrifically covreed in blood and she dripped with the stuff I found myself relieved that it was still her. A broad smile spread over her face and she sat upright in my arms. She brought her shaking hands up to my face, setting that giant pair of shears down beside her and she slammed her lips against mine.

I let out a small chuckle, partially from relief and I found that I was me again. Not this ghost that I had become. Looking back over it all I saw that I had been a solemn brooding companion along this journey and seeing her had revived me and made me relize what I had done. 

I sighed into her lips and found that a grin had spread across my face that I couldnt wipe off. I had missed her so much and the remaining tension in my heart drained at the meeting of our lips. Such a special form of physical action. It transfered more than words could across to me. She smiled too and when she pulled back she sighed with an almost laugh herself. She began to stand up and everyone fumbled over themselves to help her up, but instead she used my head to help her the rest of the way up. Waving the others off and giggling impishly down at me. 

"You suck," I laughed as I stood up myself and her hands found both of mine.

She shook her head with a serious expression and then it broke into that grin of hers "I rock, you love it."

I nodded almost bashfully and she pulled me in for a hug.

"Thanks," She said into my ear and pulled back and turned to the others. One hand of her always holding mine, I found immense comfort in that little hand of hers clasped in mind. As if it were a tailisman for good luck. She went around and hugged and thanked each person. Laughing along with them at someones expense. Finally she stood back and heaved a great sigh smiling around at  them all.

"Would you look at the state of me," She laughed motioning to herself "Dripping with blood. I look like I helped film Sweeney Todd. Oh yuck its all over my face. Id ask you guys for something to clean off with, but Im not going to ask you to dip your hand into any water we come across."

We all laughed genially. It was more of a tension reliever than anything. It wasnt all that funny, it was rather sickening in some ways and I saw that Max saw that. She began to work at summoning things. A bucket of water and a couple spare clothing items. A partition erected itself out of thin air and Evangeline smiled around at Max in thanks. She walked over and picked up the bucket and washed off her face and then stepped behind the partition with the clothes. She came back around dressed in shorts and t shirt. She slid some flip flops on and smiled around at us.