"Alright...that passed a bit of time, but was it enough?" I asked, sitting up. "Seems so. You can last a long time if you want to." I scoffed. "Nah, it's just that you're not as good as you think you are." She geared up to slug me, but I moved out of the way quickly. "Come on, let's get the hell out of here. I hate caves." she followed me to the surface and what we saw was incredible. Snow like I've never seen before...and the City of Embers? Dead in its tracks. Everything was wiped out. "It's gone." she said. "No shit, Sherlock." I replied, taking a step and watching my foot freeze. I looked back at Hades who gave me a smug look. "Don't you dare say a word. Just...pull me back." She reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me until my shoe came off. "Go back inside." she said. I hopped back into the cave and watched the snowfall. "Okay, realm expert, how long does this shit keep up?" "About another hour." I sighed. "I regret coming here. This is boring as hell." "Look up at the lights in the sky." she said. I studied them. "Humans have something like this. I think they're called the northern lights." "They're so pretty. You can't tell me that you regret seeing this. No one else is seeing this." She was right I suppose. "I wonder what's going on in the human world...all those demons up there can't possibly be a good thing." "I wouldn't worry about it. What could go wrong?" I gave her a look. "Don't you know you should never ask that?" She looked curious. "Why?" "Because it makes something go wrong." She laughed. "That's ridiculous, Arioch." she replied. "Just wait and see. I'm right." She smiled and shook her head. "Just enjoy the strange weather, okay?" she said. I tried, but I just couldn't after wondering what all of those demons were probably up to in the human world. The fear demons, namely because most people won't even be able to see us blood demons. "What's bothering you?" she asked, putting her hand over mine. "A lot." I replied. "Shit, I wish I could leave." "You're stressing over nothing." she scolded. "How do you know?" I asked. "This has been happening since...well, forever, and there haven't been issues...why would there be any now?" "Let's just say this generation is a bit wilder than the others. I mean, look at me, Hades." She laughed. "So what?" "Your positivity is where we differ, girl. I can't see things like you do. I've been around the block a few more times than you, so I suppose it makes sense." I could almost feel her scowling at me. "Have some faith." she said. "Having faith means being ignorant. I can't believe that no one up there is causing problems. We're at risk of exposure right now, and sorry, but that's taking away from all of this." She scowled deeply. "You're right. Positivity is where we differ. I came down here to hang out with you, and see this phenomenon. I regret it now because you're such a buzzkill." "Me? A buzzkill? No, I'm rational. I know what these demons are like and most of them are unfortunately stupid. All I'm worried about is us having issues. Do you know the consequences of exposure? Basically, everything you've ever known is gone. People get tortured, we get tortured...its the end of life for us. We might be alive, but we won't be living." "I don't know what happens if we get exposed, but it can't be that bad. So humans know we exist, so what? Some already do." "And what happens to those who find out who shouldn't? We kill them." She scowled deeper. "You are such a pessimist. Why do we even hang out?" "I don't know, why do we?" I asked, growing more irritated. "Good question. Let's not do it anymore." "Fine with me, have fun freezing out there." "I'd rather freeze out there than spend another minute here with you. Have fun worrying yourself into a panic attack. I'll find somewhere else to watch this from. After that, I don't care to see you again, Arioch. Not even at my funeral." I snorted. "Drama queen." I muttered. "I'm just honest. I hate pessimists." "Nevermind all that I've done for you, right? You are so ungrateful. Go ahead and go." She narrowed her eyes at me. "Sometimes I wonder if it really was you who ripped apart my life...and you blamed someone else to get close to me." "Why would I waste my time like that?" "Who knows? You're you. You do a lot of shit that most wouldn't...it's almost like you were bred to be different." I chuckled. "You have no idea just how truthful that is." I muttered to myself. "You weren't bred, none of us were, you're just a rebel without cause and a shitty fucking attitude." "Believe what you will." I said, passively. "What? Are you going to try to tell me you think you're different from everyone else?" "I used to think I wasn't, but now I know I am. Had we remained friends, I might have told you a little something about myself almost no one knows...but fuck it, you're more concerned with arguing, demeaning, and just playing psycho bitch in general. Fuck off." She looked like she wanted to reconcile, but then her face changed. "Fine, Arioch. I will." "That's what you wanted. You said so yourself...now go run along and find some more trouble...but don't ask for a bailout this time around. I don't pull favors for those like you." she slapped me and I grabbed her hand. "Just leave. This was a mistake. I should've just left you where I first found you...and left your caregivers chained up. You don't want to touch me again, Hades, because that's when shit will get a bit...intense." She threw a punch with her other arm, and I tossed her into the cold watching her start to freeze. "You brought it on yourself. See you in a thousand years." I said, turning my back to her. I blew off a bit of steam, in disbelief that someone I called a friend could reject me so harshly and so easily. I watched her shivering body start to turn to ice and guilt swept over me. Maybe throwing her out there was a bit overboard. I stared at her and she stared back, looking afraid, but not saying anything. Another thing we have in common. I don't show my fear. I contemplated what to do as the snow started to fall heavier. I turned and walked away, she burnt the bridge, after all.
